The Grapevines
by LilBrown
Summary: Bella comes to live with Charlie in Oakville, California when tragedy strikes her. She tries desperately to conceal her secret, but what happens when she meets new neighbors and finds out that murderous people are after her inheritance? AU and AH.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

_Oh my God! Fucking A! I am going to die!_ I thought frantically as I braced the door with my back and tried to think coherent thoughts.

_Enjoy the last night of your existence while it lasts. Damn it! Think strait!_ Was the basic gist of my thoughts. Sweat poured from my brow as if from a waterfall as my eyes looked from the window to the doorknob below my right arm. The door was out of the question- a drunken step-father pounding on the other side was waiting on the outside of that exit. The window, however, was not the best of choices, either. It was two stories and with my luck, I would jump from it, twist my ankle or otherwise incapacitate myself and Phil would find me and have his way with me- making the sacrifice my mother just made pointless.

_No. _I thought, sternly trying to keep a lid on that horrifying and utterly recent memory as I tried to think of escape. I looked around my bedroom like a crazed woman- which is what I was, really, at the moment.

"_Go! Isabella! Run to your father's house!" _My mother's last words ran through my head and left my mental mind spinning: louder than those words or the pulse ringing in my ears sounded an even more heart-wrenching memory, my mother's last scream.

One thing that even my adrenaline-drunk mind could register was that Phil was going to pay.

"Open the Goddamn door, Izzy!" Phil slurred in an intoxicated warpath. Oh, yeah, let me just open the door and welcome the bastard that just killed my mother with open arms. I felt the switchblade that I had in my back pocket and seized it in my left hand, looking at it closely. My eyes slid to the doorknob and I wondered if I had the nerve.

He just killed your mother.

Oh yes, I had the nerve. Did I have the strength, though? Drunks were amazingly numb to pain and focused on what they want, and seeing how I was pretty sure that Phil only wanted what a woman could offer (however unwillingly), I don't think that I would be able to kill him with the three-inch blade in my hands before he got what he wanted.

Why did mom marry this dick wad, anyways?

Oh yes, because Mom was a hopeless romantic, oblivious, and always got involved with the wrong men.

"Open the fucking door, or I am going to break it down, damn it!" Phil hollered, pounding on the door with more fervor. Holy hell. I remembered that I had a cell phone and groped my pockets with numb fingers until I found it. I dialed 911 and got some woman's voice on the other end, "Hello, Phoenix police department, is there an emergency?" _Oh, no, I am just calling to see how your day went. _

"Yes!" I shouted, rattling off my address and telling them to get their people here as soon as possible to save me from my homicidal, drunk, stepfather. She hurriedly consented and told me to stay on the line, which I couldn't because my phone had just died. Curse my lack of enthusiasm for electronics!

"Are you calling the cops?!" Came Phil's stunned voice.

"Oh, the beauty of cellular phones, ass hole!" I hissed through the door. Mistake. The next moment the door literally exploded and I flew across the room. I quickly turned around, ready to face an adversary, and that is just what I got. Phil's hulking, drunken figure clouded the doorframe; there was a deep gash on his face but I don't think he realized through the haze. He had a triumphant look on his face.

I scrambled up to my feet and onto the desk- I wasn't going down without a fight.

"You know how I love it when you squirm," he said, darkly chuckling. A shiver ran involuntarily down my spine.

"And how do you feel about having a knife plunged into your gut, father?" I sneered the word father like it was the most disgusting of swear words as I pulled out the knife. Phil eyed my knife wearily for a second, but I guess he thought the blade to be harmless because he started towards me. My mind sort of shorted out in panic.

Luckily, I shook the snares from my mind and snapped into focus on his third stride and into overdrive on his fourth. I crouched on the desk and took the wooden chair and flung it upward into Phil with as much force as I could muster from my arms. The chair collided with his face with a satisfying crunch. He fell but I didn't bother to register if he was out. I sprinted out of the door and down the hall and staircase. I reached the doorknob and nearly took out the policemen out the front door.

The policeman that caught my trembling form was African American, had broad shoulders, and had a worried expression on. Three S.W.A.T. team-like people ran into the house after the would-be unconscious Phil.

"It's going to be alright," The male holding me said. Um, how does dead (but otherwise absent from life) mother, soon to be incarcerated, drunk step-father, and seconds away from heart attack add up to ok in anyone's book?

………………………………………………………

My eyelids sprang open for what seemed (and probably what was) the billionth time that night. I looked around the office; the only light that was in the darkly lit room was the copy machine's slowly blinking green light and the light that flooded inside the room from the busy police station's hallway. The police station was the only place that they could think to let me stay until they contacted Charlie, Renee's first husband and my dad. I shut my eyes and sighed of relief- it was only a dream.

_There were two figures with no exact shape around me. One of them looked more female than the other, who looked very masculine. The feminine one drifted slowly to the side of the room we were in and the masculine one advanced on me like a menacing shadow. I backed up into the wall, but the male advanced on me. I looked at the female and beckoned for help, but to no avail- she merely watched on the adjacent wall. _

_The male seemed to possess me as it actually stepped inside me- the shadow becoming one with me. I felt him thrash and beat the inside of my body and I winced and called to the female, but she just turned a blind eye to me and my suffering despite my screams and writhing on the floor. _

_The male immerged from me, satisfied for now, and left the room. The female than reacted to my existence and slithered across the room to my quivering form on the floor. _

"_Are you ok?" She asked. I shook my head. The shadowy female just stroked my hair until the male boomed back into the room, than she flew to the other side of the room and acted as I didn't exist as before._

_The male continued to hurt me and the woman continued to ignore my pleas until the male would leave. I tried to leave the room, but the female constricted me in her indistinguishable embrace and whisper sweet nothings to me. I tried to fight her off, but it was like fighting air. She just dragged me back to the far end of the room and sat with me there until flying away when the male came. She was present and an almost comforting (but not quite due to her impenetrable restraint) when the male was gone, but invisible when he was in me. _

_This continued until finally the feminine figure rose against the male, fighting for the one she said she cared about in the past. When the shadows collided it was like a tornado erupted in the room. Winds swirled and my every sense was on the figures' battle. The male got larger and sucked the life right out of the female, leaving him larger than ever. _

_And that was the end of my mother._

That was when I woke up. Upon thinking through it, the dream wasn't very dreamlike at all- merely a documentary on my upbringing. I had never been sexually abused by Phil; although I was positive he had that on the brain before I clobbered him with my finest chair-throwing. He did, however, occasionally have "beat-down-Bella" sessions. You learn to roll with the punches.

I opened my eyes again and looked around the chief's office. The gold nameplate that read "Chief Harris" reflected the hallway light. My eyes adjusted to the lack of light and I striated from my curled up position in the papasan chair in the corner of the room. I found it odd that there was a papasan chair in a chief's office, but then again, what do I know about the police department at night?

Not that the Chief Harris himself would really be able to sleep in something this small. It was an ok size for me, but his towering six foot three inch frame would not fit. The chief was evidently a very good friend of Charlie, who was Police Chief in Oakville, California.

I had only met Charlie once, but I don't remember because I was about three. I faintly remember his house and his acres upon acres of vineyard land over there in "Wine Country". When Charlie wasn't being Police Chief, evidently, he was a sort of a Farmer Joe. Right now Chief Bradley Harris was contacting Charlie and "briefing" him on tonight's events and setting up my arrangements. I looked at the clock on the desk- scratch that, LAST night's proceedings. It was about three in the morning.

I wonder how I will like California…

My thoughts were severed as I heard a feminine, fretted voice and Chief Harris approaching. I scooted down in the chair, grateful for the sanctuary, and shamelessly eavesdropped on their heated debate outside his office door.

"There is no way that she can inherit all of that, Brad, she is a minor for Pete's sake! Lawyers and gold-diggers will plague her!" The woman said; her brisk and articulate voice traveled through the door a little muffled. My eyebrows knit together; what had my mother left? We were pretty much broke… weren't we?

"Esme," Chief Harris' strangled voice came out, "She is going to turn eighteen in about four months; Charlie is the Power of Attorney until then. It was his land until the divorce anyways," He mumbled as an afterthought. Land; was part of the vineyard mine or something? I heard Esme sigh (or Chief Harris sigh a very feminine sigh…), "Is she awake yet?" Esme asked in a tired voice. The knob turned and I shut my eyes, feigning sleep.

"Bella," Chief Harris called into the dark. I simulated stirring as I looked around and blinked rapidly, trying to "wake up".

"Is something the matter?" I asked, getting up. Esme flipped on the lights and it may have been the sharp change in light, but the smile she had on was blinding. Any tiredness that may have been in her personality outside was long forgotten (or well hidden) near me. Her appearance made me really want to trust her- her long, wavy, caramel hair only shades away from matching her warm, pooling eyes that peered at me out of a fair-skinned face. She was gorgeous and kind, but I found it hard to trust much of anyone at the moment.

"We need to talk, sweetie," She said warmly.

**A/N: First chapter********. Really sad stuff, and for that I am sorry, but what's a story without a little drama and angst? I kind of feel like I am going insane or something with the odd things I have been writing… but oh well! Insane or genius, who is really keeping track? Anyways, R & R please. (Rated M for dark themes in the beginning; I don't really do lemons, sorry). **


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

_She was gorgeous and kind, but I found it hard to trust much of anyone at the moment. _

"_We need to talk, sweetie," She said warmly. _

Esme and Chief Harris both filed into the office. Esme shut the door as Chief Harris sat in his chair with a thump and then Esme sank gracefully into the chair opposite Chief Harris' and a couple feet in front of my nest-like seat in the papasan. She angled her chair so she could see both Chief Harris and I as Chief Harris cleared his throat.

"Thank you for being so patient, Isabella," Esme said with a motherly overtone in her voice, "My name is Esme Cullen, by the way."

"Bella," I corrected automatically, "and there isn't much else I can do at the moment, so I suppose it is no problem," I said while shrugging. She smiled at me and looked at Chief Harris and, as if that were his cue, he began.

"This is going to be rough, Bella," He said, "and I am not going to sugarcoat it for you. Over the next few months you are going to have to deal with inheritance, testimony, relocation; the works."

I remembered to look puzzled at "inheritance" because this was supposed to be my first time hearing it.

"What inheritance?" I asked, cocking my head to the side and furrowing my brow.

"Your mother left you the house, as Phil isn't going to be eligible to own a residence anymore," It was gratifying to hear Chief Harris' audible hatred of the flea formally known as Phil, "but she also left you the property she owned in Oakville, California." So it was property, interesting. It was probably a parking lot or something.

"What did she own there?" I asked, sounding even more perplexed. Chief Harris shot a quick glance at Esme than back at me, "She owned about one-hundred acres of your dad's vineyard from the divorce settlement." He said tentatively. I was pretty positive my eyes were going to fall out of my head they were so wide.

"One…hundred?" I whispered, completely appalled, "Why did we live here in Phoenix if that were the case?"

"I believe," Esme said, "that that mystery died with your mother, honey. I am sure, however, that there was a good enough reason. Maybe she wanted space from Charlie; maybe she wanted to start afresh with you somewhere. I know very few particulars." That last statement sparked a question.

"Well," I said, trying to word this without sounding mean, "No offense, but where exactly do you fit into this equation?" Esme laughed, "I am your father's attorney… well, for now, anyways. Temporarily I suppose."

"He had his attorney come and pick me up, eh?" I asked, quirking a brow. Esme looked appalled, "Oh, no, dear! He was working on a murder case himself with the Napa officials when he got a call from Brad, here, that something was wrong," Esme slid a slight glare at Chief Harris, "Little did Brad fail to mention that his daughter was attacked and his ex wife is now—" She started, but cut off when she realized that I was in the room. I flinched slightly at the memory of a drunken Phil, but said, "dead," to finish her statement nevertheless.

Esme looked instantly apologetic, "Yes, Bella, I am sorry for being so insensitive." I smiled at her, "You have been nothing but kind to me; thank you for giving me some sort of tie to my father," I turned to Chief Harris, "so you didn't tell him all of the details of last night, huh?"

"I knew he wouldn't be able to make it and didn't want him to worry," Chief Harris said, "please forgive me." I nodded.

"Just tell him when I am there or something," I muttered, "I don't want to."

"I'll do that," Esme said, and I was starting to really like her. I murmured a thanks and Esme stood up, glancing at her watch, "Besides, I am not really doing this as his attorney, but his as a favor from his neighbor and friend."

"You are Charlie's neighbor?" I asked, interested in the little piece of Oakville that came to see me.

"Well, my family and I live down the road," Esme said, "But you cannot really see our house from yours. Oakville is much different from Phoenix, dear." She smiled, "why don't we go see?" I turned to Chief Harris, "Can I go get my stuff or is it some sort of crime scene?" Chief Harris laughed, "The CSI's are done with your house; there wasn't much to investigate."

"Let's go, Bella," Esme said calmly, walking out the door, "Don't want to keep Oakville waiting, do you?"

And to that question I wasn't sure if I knew the answer.

………………………………………………………………………….

Going back to the house was a surreal experience. What would you do if on the one hand you have the dying need to be in a place that makes sense to you- something that hasn't changed: but on the other hand you have the desperate desire to run out of there like a belt out of hell?

Well, my solution was go there temporarily, than do the running-like-mad later.

I battled with these thoughts as I stepped outside of the police department into the cool night (or very early morning) air with Esme. She led me to a very shiny and clean black Mercedes with cream interior; the crème de la crème I presumed. She turned on nice, relaxing background music as we rode in comfortable silence.

She pulled up to the curb near the house and got out- I guess she was coming too. I hopped out and gently closed the door of the car. I looked at the house and it seemed like something out of a horror flick now. Sure, there may be no place like home but that doesn't mean I have to like it.

A shiver ran down my spine stepping inside the doors. I could picture only too well the scene that happened on the staircase where my mother and Phil were last. I cursed her and her last moment of bravery- that was what got her killed.

I could practically see myself at the top of the stairs and my mother shouting at me to go; run, get away. I could see my torn face, wanting to help my mother despite her orders. Phil wrestled with the door that she locked as she came up the stairs and pushed me inside my room and closed the door. I heard the front door bang open, Phil's clumsy footsteps and shouts and my mother scream.

_And that was the end of my mother. _

The last scene of my dream mingled with the last memory of my mother.

I felt a hand on my shoulder as Esme brought up the rear, probably trying to take me out of my rather violent reverie. She gave me a sad smile and a gently nudge. My feet followed her gesture despite my mind's current occupancy. I trudged up the stairs and took a deep breath before opening the door.

I froze in the doorway.

The smell of alcohol encased my nostrils, brutally awakening the memories that need not to be awoken. I saw myself crouched on the desk and even saw the remains of the flimsy chair scattered about the room that were spewed upon impact. I looked at my bed and saw an impression of a body- a recent body. Not mine, it was too large. It was probably where Phil staggered after receiving the blow. I even noticed two footprints that matched the shoes I was wearing. The footsteps were very far apart- a testament to the speed I was running to get out.

And here I was, standing at in the place I was desperate to leave and forget.

Now I had no squeamishness about leaving, I was determined to. I snapped out of the second daze and strode to my closet, ripping out the small suitcase in there.

"Should I pack everything?" I asked Esme, who watched me from the door. She blinked in surprise- probably expecting me to break down from me or something.

"Um," She stuttered, "No… just pack enough for maybe four nights. Your belongings should be shipped to Charlie by then." I nodded and continued my work noiselessly. I was done in about five minutes and looked at Esme expectantly.

"Are you finished?" Esme asked, slightly surprised.

"This is all I need," I said, "Why?"

"Oh, well, I guess I am not used to such speedy packing," She explained, "I have a daughter who cannot bear to go even on an overnight trip without five bags," She rolled her eyes and smiled, stepping out the door. I followed her to her car for the second time that morning and stepped inside the car.

"How many kids do you have?" I asked.

"I have one girl and two boys," She explained.

"Wow." I said; but imagining Esme with three equally beautiful children and a handsome husband was not a hard thing to do, "I commend you for your bravery," I laughed, "Having that many kids seems pretty nightmarish to me." She laughed with me.

"Well, they are all adopted," Esme added, increasing my respect in her. Adopted kids were kind of like… hey! Adopted kids were kind of like abused kids- very low chance of turning out normal. I guess we are both survivors. However, I could picture Esme nurturing her adopted children and being the loving mother that would ensure their normalcy. Already I envied these kids.

"How old are they?" I asked, picturing bouncing babies in her arms and around her.

"My oldest is twenty-one and my youngest is seventeen," She said, and something in her voice suggested some sort of plot. I couldn't place it, though, because I was in shock.

"How could someone that is as young as you possibly have children that old?" I blurted out before thinking. She laughed a musical laugh.

"Ah, the tricks of cosmetics, sweetie," Esme said in a light voice. I had seen woman age gracefully, Renee was one of them, but that was just ridiculous! She looked like she could be in her late twenties, MAYBE mid-thirties, tops. I let the subject go, however, not wanting to sound rude. I settled into the comfortable seat for the ride to Phoenix airport.

Next stop, Oakville, California.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

After landing in the big CA after a calm flight on first class (Esme's treat), Esme and I bustled down to departures to meet her husband, who was going to pick us up. I was thankful my bag was small enough to be a carry-on because I really didn't want to have to deal with San Francisco's air port longer than I had to.

Esme led me through the crowd, describing her husband as a blond haired, brown eyed, tall man with fair skin. She found him before I did for I had given up on my fourth guess, and she strode over to him and pecked him on the lips.

He was, as I imagined, just as beautiful as Esme.

His honey blond hair was combed neatly back, enhancing his angular yet warm features. The two were just that, gorgeous and kind. He turned to me as did Esme with a smile.

"Bella," Esme said, "This is my husband, Carlisle."

"It is nice to meet you Mr. Cullen." I said with a smile. He seemed impressed for some reason I can't fathom and shook my extended hand, "The pleasure is all mine, but please, call me Carlisle."

Carlisle took my bag (against my protest) and led us to another shiny Mercedes. I sat in the back seat and looked out the window and was mostly silently listening to Carlisle and Esme's sporadic conversation most of the three hours to Oakville.

"The kids really wanted to come and see her," Carlisle said when I had started to doze off. I was glad that they didn't; not that I didn't want to see them, but I must have looked like something out of Dawn of the Dead.

"I decided that she might need some time to settle down, you know with Charlie, before we unleashed their energy on the poor thing," Carlisle said. I heard Esme hum in agreement.

"It scares me to think what they would do," Esme said with a slight chuckle to her voice. That was the last I heard of their conversation, however, because I completely conked out. My dreams were restless, still containing the same feminine and masculine shadows; the female still getting destroyed from her last-minute courage.

This time the dreams continued after the female died, however. The male was at least three times his normal size, and continued to advance on me like I have known him to do so many times. I don't know how I knew, but I knew that this time would be different. This time the figure was going to hurt me in new and more monstrous ways. I took a chance at barreling through him and to the door.

The male did not expect this and was momentarily shocked as I sprinted out the door and through another few doors. I ran into another figure and was horrified for a wild second that it might be Him. This one was kinder and held me telling me everything was going to be ok. More figures glided towards the male inside menacingly- prepared for a fight.

More friendly shadows surrounded me and engulfed my body- healing me from the inside out. They took care of me like no one had ever cared to; not even the female figure that died for me.

"Bella," One of the angelic shadows called, "Bella, wake up." The figure chuckled as he gently shook me.

My eyes flew open and I restrained a gasp- sufficing for looking around like a mad woman. I met Carlisle's friendly eyes bent over me outside my car door. He reached over and unbuckled my seatbelt and grabbed the bag on the seat next to me.

"We're here, Bella," Carlisle explained with a smile in his voice. I looked around and had to suppress another gasp- the place was gorgeous. We were in a very, very long pebble driveway that I idly wondered how I could sleep through the no doubt bumpy ride over, and it stretched as far as the eye could see (and I am sure farther). Charlie had a lot of land, evidently. I peered through the back window and saw mountainous terrain in the distance, but everything until then was pretty much flat.

Welcome to Napa Valley, Oakville, or "Wine Country".

Large, and I do mean HUGE, maple and apple trees surrounded his immediate lawn, and framed the drive that we just came through. I was sorry that I had slept through his land, wanting to see it. I could see the first rows of the vineyard behind a classic white picket fence.

I turned around and saw his Gone With the Wind or Big Country style home. I half expected Scarlet O'Hara herself to immerge. The main part of the house was rectangular and the two floors were equal in size. Four windows were on the top floor, three on the bottom (with the white double-door in the spot where the fourth window would go) with green shudders on either side. The white paneled walls sloped horizontally and into the addition on the house. The addition was masterfully done; I only knew it was an addition because the houses built to look like this didn't have more than the main part of this house. It included a two car garage, and an extension of the widow's walk of the first floor's porch.

I got out slowly and looked at the beautiful house and its surroundings in awe. True to California in the winter's style, it was a slightly overcast day- not like the blistering heat that was in Phoenix right now.

Carlisle and Esme waited very patiently as I took it all in, than they led me to the front doors of the ranch. I was about to knock when Esme scoffed and reached around me to open the doors.

"This is your home now, too, Bella," Esme said in my ear. Right. I walked inside and looked around the first room tentatively and said just as quietly, "Hello?" The room's wooden floors ran through the room and up the half-paneled walls of the half-circle room. The circle itself had about a ten foot radius and there were tapestries lining either side of the walls of the arched door in front of me. There were wooden staircases that hugged the curved wall and met up at a balcony about ten feet above the door in front of us that had a hallway leading to the second floor. The cream white rug was about an inch thick and made me want to just flop down and feel it- not a usual urge for me. The room was bare of furniture besides the rug and a circular, wooden table with a marble top and just screamed symmetry. I found it hard to believe a bachelor set this up.

"Charlie," Carlisle called, "We're back." At that moment I smelt something burning. We exchanged alarmed glances and ran through the doors and into the next room which was a kitchen and a living room connected. On the left was the kitchen and was filled with smoke. Someone was cursing profusely and trying to fan out the kitchen.

I squinted and saw that it was a can in the microwave. I ran and pushed the man out of the way and took an oven mitt that was precariously close to the burner on the stove and opened the microwave and took the can out and placed it on the glass top stove. I turned on the fan that was in the microwave and took a wooden spoon and stirred the gloppy mess that was in the pot on the burner. I walked to the window above the sink and cracked it open.

"I think it is safe to say that Bella will do the cooking around here," Esme said, half amused half impressed by my show. I laughed and looked at my father for the first time in years. He looked at me with an impish expression.

"I was trying to make you a homecoming lunch," He said, looking at the mess he made, "but I think that I will order takeout from Cindy's…" **(A/N: Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen is an actual restaurant in Napa County; no lawsuits, please.)**.

There was an odd silence where Charlie kind of marveled at me and I looked at him periodically and the room. The room was rectangular except for the kitchen's wall opposite the window, which was curved inward with a bowed door on it, probably for the pantry. Opposite the room was the living room, which was lit wonderfully by full-length windows and one sliding-glass door on the outside wall. On the other side of the room was an arched hallway that matched the door in the entranceway. The white granite countertops (that had a bar with barstools in between the living room and the kitchen) and the pewter appliances that were expertly designed and put together flawlessly suggested a female's touch.

"Very nice…um, decorating, Charlie," I said uncertainly. He laughed.

"This whole thing was Esme's doing," Charlie said, gesturing to the room with his hand. Previous impression proved right; Esme was a woman of many talents.

"Well," Esme said, "you should have seen the way it was before I got here," She shuddered. Charlie huffed, "I had no need for anything better. But I suppose that I need it now," He said looking at me.

Charlie himself, however, just oozed bachelor. His casual get out was like "whatever". He had a flannel button-up and faded, holed jeans with leather thronged sandals. His thick, curly locks were in serious need of a comb and his slightly bushy eyebrows in need of a pair of tweezers; but the look worked for him.

He crossed the room and picked up the phone. After dialing a few numbers and waiting for someone to pick up, he greeted a woman named Jessica and ordered four Caesar salads, four Cindy's Steakhouses, and garlic bread.

"Oh, sorry, Charlie," Carlisle said quickly, "but we really cannot stay."

"We have to get back to the house and see what mayhem they caused while we were out," Esme said with a smile. Charlie corrected his order to two servings and hung up. We said goodbye to the Cullen's, me promising to come by this afternoon or the next to meet their kids. I said it would probably be tomorrow and they understood completely.

After they left Charlie and I stood around, kind of like "what now?" I told him that I would unpack and meet him for lunch when it came. He agreed hurriedly and started towards the living room, only pausing to ask me if I needed help finding my way around. I assured him I would be fine and he plopped down in one of the two lounge chairs that were on either side of a matching leather couch, turning on the television to some sports center.

I remember thinking that I was going to like it here.

I stepped back into the entrance hall and admired the tall, skinny windows that framed either side of the front double-door entrance. I hauled my bags up the hardwood steps on the one side of the room and admired Esme's choice of tapestries on the way- all depicting a very green, scenic view of flowers, or vineyards. I went through the archway that was at the top of the stairs and looked around the hallway. There was a window at the far end that had a view of the back of the property and there was the same flooring up here and same paneled walls. I walked to the window that was some ten yards away, and looked out.

The view was tremendous; not obscured by a single building. I saw the rows and rows of grapevines and instantly fell in love with the panoramic view. I already felt an emotional attachment to the comforting foliage and vines, not to mention the gorgeous house. I would have to thank Esme for the adjustments.

I looked through the first door on the left and found a nice bathroom done in purples and whites. The next door was a bedroom, and looked like master bedroom with its large bed and it had more hints of life than the other three rooms. I was curious as to why Charlie had gotten such a large house, but I shrugged it off as his inheritance or something. I plopped my bag in the room nearest the window at the end of the hallway and looked inside pretty satisfied. This room matched the purple bathroom and was adjacent to my room as well as the hallway. The room had a queen sized bed with a deep purple comforter and matching curtains. The bookshelf matched the hardwood floor with its deep stain and it also matched the dresser, which had purple knobs on it and a vanity above its stout, long surface.

Again, there was an instant connection.

I unpacked my things, or what thing I had, and went downstairs just as the doorbell rang. That's timing for ya.

"I'll get it," I yelled and opened the door to see a blond haired, blue eyed boy with a hat with Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen emblem on it. He smiled at me and handed me the boxes in his hands.

"Oh, hey," I said, taking the boxes, "Um, come in." We both walked in and I put the boxes on the table and peeked in the living room and saw Charlie watching the game.

"Hey, Charlie," I called, getting his attention, "do you have money for the delivery?"

"Oh, yeah," He mumbled, looking over at the counter, "check in the bowl for a twenty and a ten. Is the delivery person Mike?" He asked. I shrugged as I got the money and walked the door.

"I don't know," I said, "He didn't say his name."

I walked through the door and handed the money to the guy. He looked at me, puzzled for a moment, than realization seemed to dawn on him.

"You're Isabella Swan, aren't you?" He asked and I found it strange he knew that. Oh well, a small town holds no secrets I suppose. My insides churned at the thought- I wonder if they knew my horror story.

"Yes," I responded with a smile despite my slight nausea from the previous thought, "and you are?"

"Oh, jeez," He said, "My name's Mike Newton. Sorry, you must think me some sort of freak or stalker." I shook my head with a laugh.

"No, I understand the workings of a small town," I said, even though I really didn't. How could I be so interesting? Last week's grape harvest had to be more entertaining. He shrugged with a laugh.

"Well, I gotta get going," He said, sounding remorseful, "Tell Charlie I said hi," and with that he left the room, but after giving me an up and down and a smile. I took the boxes off of the table and walked through the door to the kitchen. Charlie got up and I handed him a box that was marked "steak" and a box that was marked "salad" and put the box with the garlic bread in between us sitting at the bar.

"So did you have a look around?" Charlie asked. I nodded.

"Like it?" He asked, and there was an undercurrent of anxiety in his voice. I stared at him.

"How could I not like it, Charlie?" I asked with a slight disbelieving laugh, "It's absolutely lovely. That doesn't even begin to cover it. Thank you for having me, by the way."

Charlie snorted, "You don't owe me a thing, Bells." He said, and I liked how he already had a nickname for me, "I left you there with that piece of—" He cut himself off, shaking his head as if shaking a nasty thought.

"You didn't leave me, Charlie," I said quietly, "Renee left you and won me in the custody hearing, what could you do?" Charlie shook his head again and breathed in deeply.

"You are very mature and good to forgive me like that, Bells," Charlie said, "and I am proud of you." I had the feeling that he didn't talk this way much, and it touched me further that he felt that way and then went on and said he felt that way.

"Thanks Char- dad," I said, testing out the word. He looked at me with a smile that squinted his eyes and they had a gleam in them like there was a light bulb submerged in his cranium. I smiled back and we ate in companionable silence.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

I cleaned the dishes after we ate as a thank you to Charlie. He returned to his game, saying that he was going to have a few friends over to watch it with him.

"Would you, er, like to join us?" He asked uncertainly.

"Sports aren't really my thing," I said with a chuckle, "but that's ok, I wanted to go look around the grounds anyways." I said, my gaze sliding out the full length window.

"Oh, that's fine," Charlie said, "just be careful, it can be easy getting lost out there." He warned and I made a mental note to bring a compass. I latched one onto the belt loop of my jeans, put on a watch, threw my hair into a neatish ponytail, and left out the back. I strode through the grapevines and I wondered where my land was. I found it odd that nobody mentioned it more than the first time; no that I really wanted them too, but it seemed like a big problem when I first heard about it. Maybe the problem was solved.

After about a mile of vines there was a break in the rows where a patch of trees were lined up. I looked up at them and wondered if I had roamed out of Charlie's land. The trees were apple trees and it looked like there were about thirty of them, all varying in age.

"Hey there," A soprano voice called from one of the trees. I froze, looking around.

"Hello?" I called back rather tentatively. A feminine form leaped from the tree and landed gracefully in the tall, soft grass below. She straitened herself out and looked at me with a smile; her cropped black hair pointed in almost every direction and framed her pale face and caramel colored eyes. She had no height to talk of, but I had an impression that she had a hell of a personality to boot. She walked over to me casually and cocked her head, confused.

"Are you lost?" She asked. I looked around, "I didn't think so, I was just exploring Charlie's land." I said.

Her eyes widened, "Do you want him to take you in for trespass or something? He is the police chief!" She said, looking around wildly as if he would spring from the trees and arrest us.

"Then why are you here?" I asked skeptically, not bothering to tell her that I was his daughter.

"Oh, I am his neighbor," She explained, "I like to take pictures or paint his vineyard and apple trees and was hanging out for inspiration. Besides, our land starts only about ten yards that way," she pointed in the direction opposite to Charlie's house.

"So, who are you?" I asked.

"My name is Alice Cullen," She said, extending a hand, "and you are?"

"Bella." I said, not quite sure if I wanted to tell her who I was yet, taking her hand. From what Esme and Carlisle told me about their daughter, she was exuberant.

"Oh, that's a pretty name," She said with a smile. I smiled back. In unspoken agreement we started to walk parallel to the border of her and Charlie's houses land. As we strolled, she talked about her brothers some and her boyfriend, Jasper. From what I could tell, this girl was madly in love with Jasper. I just hoped that he returned her strong I-am-going-to-be-with-you-forever sentiments. I liked Alice, and was about to let her know who I was when we came to some clearing about a mile away from our original meeting place that distracted me.

The clearing was filled with wildflowers of every kind and had a beautiful cottage in the center. We both stared.

"Are we on someone's land?" I asked her, looking around for signs of life.

"Well, from what I hear, this is Charlie Swan's daughter's land," Alice said and my heart stopped, "It was her inheritance or something. It's a tragic story, did you hear it?" She asked me. I nodded mutely; I was too astonished for much else. I clasped her forearm and whirled on her, "Let's go look!" She looked weary for a second.

"I don't know, Chief Swan doesn't really like it when people come here," She said, but I took off in the direction of the house after releasing her arm. She'd follow me as an excuse to check it out- the curiosity in her voice was evident.

I looked at the cottage one more time before going inside. The cottage had stone accents on the bottom half of the wall and had wooden acents on the top half on the cream colored walls. I went through the stained door and peered inside. Alice came panting up beside me.

"I don't know if we should be here," She said uncertainly, but stepped inside with me anyways. We were in the front area that had a kitchen to the left and a living area to the right with comfy, worn looking lounge chairs surrounding the fireplace with a marble mantle. There was a little wooden door directly in front of us and I pushed it open, revealing a small bedroom with a queen bed and an adjacent bathroom.

"Chief Swan would be kinda angry," Alice said, but looking around in awe as well as me.

"Yes, he would be angry," A male voice said from the corner of the room that I was about to walk into. I froze in place and I am pretty sure Alice and my hearts failed. We both looked at each other and looked at the person in the other room upon tentatively entering.

"Who are you?" I asked the man with long blonde hair and I swear black eyes.

"I could ask you the same thing, seeing how you are intruding on my property," He said, and I was about to object when Alice did, "No you don't, Isabella Swan owns this, and if you don't mind my saying that you are NO Isabella Swan." She said defiantly.

"She sold it to me, little one," He said. I quirked a brow as Alice stiffened slightly, probably believing him.

"Yeah? Let's see some papers, then," I said. He rolled his eyes.

"Or I could call the police and have you removed from my premises. Why do I have to prove anything to you?" He sneered. Alice started to tug on my arm, but I shook it off.

"Maybe because I am Isabella Swan and I haven't sold you jack," I said frostily. Alice gasped beside me, having found out who I was exactly for the first time, but I just glared at the gaping man in front of us.

"Now, do you REALLY want to call the police," I asked, "Or just tell me who the hell you are and get out?"

"Forgive me," He said, switching gears instantly, "My name is James. I was a good friend of your mother's before the accident," He looked crestfallen, but I still didn't trust him; call me paranoid.

"Oh? Then why do you go around saying that her daughter sold you this property?" I asked.

"Most people come around here like they own the place, and you mother asked me to look after it," James said, but I could tell he was fishing for words, "sort of like he grounds keeper, if you will."

"Well, James," I said, still skeptical, "I don't require your services as my mother did, thank you."

He nodded his head, said a hurried goodbye than left Alice and me in the cottage. I looked after his retreating form, not trusting him in the slightest.

"You're Isabella Swan?" Alice asked me faintly, I turned slowly, almost afraid what she might do. I hoped she wasn't angry, I liked her a lot.

"That's me," I said with a small smile. Her eyes got huge as she leaped forward, took my hand, and ran outside.

"Where are we going?" I asked, breathless and taken off guard. I looked back at the cottage and made a mental note to check it out again- and probably alone.

"My brothers really want to meet you! Well, Emmett does," She said, "Not to mention Jasper and Rosalie!" She squealed. I was puzzled by her correction and slightly worried that I may be forced upon people.

Well, instead of having a quiet hello, it looked like I was going to be thrust upon them like a ballistic missile.

Wonderful.

………………………………………………………………

Alice let us slow down to a walk about a half mile in the run, thank God. She started talking about her family some more, how Emmett was with Rosalie (also known as Rose), Jasper with her, and her younger brother, Edward. She said he was an "ultra-grump" nowadays.

"He stays in the tower all day and plays piano," She explained, "He is really starting to worry us. I think he finds it uncomfortable to be around all of these happy couples around him, so he becomes a hermit. He is going to go to Julliard when he graduates." It sounded like she was mucho proud of him, but there was an undercurrent to irksome in her voice.

"Well, I don't mean to intrude," I said sincerely.

"Yeah, that's probably why you didn't tell me who you were at first," She said as she shot me an accusing glance. I gave an impish smile, "Hey, if you had barreled off with me at first than we never would have seen the cottage."

"True," She laughed, "jeez, though, that piece of land is worth a lot, Bella."

"Why?" I asked. I liked it a lot; ok, that was an understatement, but why should it be so expensive or valuable?

"Well, it is real estate in a very fast growing area for one thing," She said, "and it is a hell of a lot of fertile land. You could make some serious money if you use the property well."

"Well, than, lucky I am ace connoisseur at land tilling," I said, rolling my eyes. She laughed and shrugged.

"Finding manual labor is the easy part," She said as we rounded the bend to go onto her drive, "There are a bunch of people around here who would consider it a blessing to work on that land," She said, and the tone of her voice suggested she wasn't one of them, "The hard part is marketing, which Rose and I could help you on," She said as she started to explain about their marketing company that they were going to open. She seemed really business-savvy and Rose sounded like a force to be reckoned with in the business room, but what did I know. I scolded myself for not trusting them, especially after all their family had done for me.

We rounded the last bend in the family's heavily forested area and came to a clearing in all the trees where a two story, very modern house was perched. There were a LOT of windows, barely and walls, but the windows were tinted slightly so as to give privacy inside. They managed to pull off the look while making it look like a home, not an office building. We stepped up the impressive looking steps and Alice opened the knob with a loud, "LOOK WHO I FOUND!"

Here we go; ballistic missile time.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

We stepped inside and there was a staircase on the far left, complete with a closet beneath it, and a view of the outside in between the staircase and the door. The room in front of us had a stone wall that had a fireplace nestled in the center with cozy-looking chairs perched around it. There was a wall to the immediate left, which ran about ten feet before being interrupted by an archway.

"Alice!" Someone called as a greeting inside the next room. I swear a bear peeked through the archway with a huge grin, looking at Alice. I brought up the rear and tried to blend in as much as humanly possible.

"Where've you been all this time," He asked, "starring at trees again?" He guffawed. She gave a good natured laugh that sounded like bells.

"Most definitely, Emmett," She said and I could practically hear her eyes rolling. A tall blonde-haired boy came into view at the top of the stairs and for a gut-wrenching moment I thought it was Edward, until Alice said, "Jazzy!" in a high-pitched squeak. Well, that would certainly explain the You-are-the-only-person-I-see look he was giving her. He descended down the stairs almost like a ghost and wrapped Alice in a warm embrace.

"You were gone much longer than one hour," He accused, pouting slightly.

"Sorry, Jazzy," Alice said into his chest, than she let go and looked at me, "but look who I found!"

Everyone seemed to notice my existence at that moment and looked at me curiously.

"Who is it?" Emmett asked, coming into the room fully. His tone of voice made it sound more like "What is it?"

"This is Chief Swan's daughter," Alice said, looking like she found a purebred dog among the vines. The light in the room seemed to change as they looked at me in awe more than dumbfounded curiosity. This made me feel uncomfortable, and I guessed that Jasper sensed it because he was the first to snap out of his fog and he came forward with a smile and an extended hand, "Jasper Hale," he said.

"Isabella Swan," I said, "but I am pretty sure you already know that," I mumbled as an afterthought. Everyone chuckled and Emmett said, "Emmett Cullen, at your service," I laughed at his overdramatic bow.

The next moment my self-esteem took a severe blow. The most gorgeous blonde I had ever met walked through the archway that Emmett did. She had deep blue eyes and full, pouty lips. Her long blonde hair came down in waves to her mid-back. She had a Colgate smile on her beautiful features which relaxed me; it was a genuine smile, not one of those "I really hate you" smiles that are oh-so-popular among people who look like her.

"Hello," She said in an equally beautiful voice, "I'm Rosalie Hale; Jasper's twin and Emmett's girlfriend." I blinked in surprise; I didn't know she was a twin. Now that I looked closer, the resemblance was inescapable. Their eyes were the exact same shade of blue, their skin the same cream color, and their hair the same wispy, but healthy blonde.

"Hi," I returned, "Isabella Swan, but call me Bella." She nodded as Carlisle and Esme descended the stairs.

"Bella, what a most pleasant surprise," Esme gushed as she crossed the room and hugged me.

"It is nice to see you again, too," I said warmly. Carlisle smiled at me and said his greetings, and we all kind of stood there. I could see what was wrong with Edward, though. All of the happy couples smiling at each other like they were the only people on the planet. I shifted uneasily after a few moments and glanced at the door, contemplating escape.

Escape might have been possible if the next moment didn't ensnare my collective conscious and subconscious mind.

At that moment a Greek god appeared at the top of the stairs. He had a bronze colored hair that woman would mortgage their house to get. He wore a black button-up that was only buttoned up half way, revealing the slightly muscular contours of his pale chest, and the sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, letting the toned muscles of his forearm shine through. His black jeans ran down mile-long legs and stopped at his black dress shoes.

He peered at the scene before him through emerald eyes in curiosity, probably like "why the union?" His eyes probed the room of people until landing on me. His eyebrows knit together and then he quirked a brow. I gave a small smile, and he looked back at the hallway; probably contemplating escape like me.

"Well, I think I should go now," I said trying to find a reason, "Charlie is probably hungry and I am afraid to let him use the stove again." Everyone looked at me before Alice said, "Please, Bella, you aren't getting off that easy. Charlie is watching the game with his friends, Billy and Harry, who always bring food because Charlie provides the beer." I grit my teeth.

Damn small towns and their secretlessness!

The thought of these people knowing my past sent my stomach for a twirl again, and I grew desperate for escape. Small talk would lead to how my home was. I prayed to God that Esme and Carlisle hadn't filled their family in on the subject, but I found it unlikely. I was wildly inventing things in my head while Alice's head turned to the top of the stairs where the god was still torn between some need to go downstairs and his want to stay upstairs.

"EDWARD!" Alice squeaked, "Oh thank God, I thought I was going to have to get you out of there kicking and screaming." She flew up the stairs and towed a very startled Edward down the stairs.

"Edward, meet Bella, Chief Swan's daughter," Alice chirped, "Bella, meet Edward, our youngest brother."

"And our most reclusive," Emmett muttered. Edward stiffened more, if that were possible, and shot a glare over his shoulder at Emmett.

"Thank you for your, um, exuberance Alice," I said, unsure of how to tell her to lay off, I evidently don't need help making this god hate me. I had a small hunch that Alice knew just how to handle Edward though, and every squeak and squeal was very calculated in her manipulative hands, "and nice to meet you Edward." He probed me with his eyes for a moment before smiling a dazzling smile and extending a hand, "Pleasure is all mine," I went to shake his hand, but he took it and kissed the back of it.

Everyone starred at him like he had grown three heads.

"What?" Edward asked irksomely after a few seconds of their stare.

"Um," Emmett fished for words, "Nothing, I guess." He said. Esme broke out in a smile as did everyone else, all staring at me and Edward like we just wed. I shifted uncomfortably. I took a step to the door and I saw everyone's eyes lock on my movement.

Holy shit.

"Yeah, well, I was going to go look around Charlie's land, so I'll be seeing you guys," I said. Alice was about to interrupt when Esme cut in, "She isn't your prisoner, Alice." Alice let it go with a pout.

"We WILL hang out later, Bella," She said. I laughed, "I look forward to it." I was ultra-aware of Edward's stare, but I needed to ask Esme and Carlisle something before I left with my tail between my legs in full-fledged retreat.

"Um," I said ever-so-coherently, "actually, can I talk to Esme and Carlisle first?" I asked tentatively. They both nodded and led me through the archway and into an office on the left. They shut the door and looked at me.

"I just wanted to ask if," I started, but Carlisle held up a finger and banged on the door with a fist, startling me greatly.

"Ow," came Alice's whimper from the hallway. Esme and I laughed and Carlisle smiled, "Go on."

"I just wanted to ask if, um, the others know." I asked quietly. I love these people for not having to make me explain further, they shook their heads with a knowing look.

"It wasn't our business to tell, dear," Esme said, "If you'd like us to tell them—"

"No," I cut in a little too forcefully, "Thank you," I added in a softer tone, "I would kind of like to forget it." They smiled in encouragement and before I left the room, Carlisle said, "You know we are proud of how mature you are being through all of this, right?"

I smiled and nodded, than left the office.

I went for the knob, but was stopped short when someone grabbed my arm. I turned around and saw the blazing look of Edward.

"Can I help you?" I asked, quirking a brow. He smiled impishly at me.

"Actually, I was wondering if I could walk with you," He said. I stared in shock; why on Earth?

"Um, I have no objections, but I also have no real idea of where I want to go," I warned, but sort of lied, I wanted to see the cottage. Another dazzling smile lit up his features, "That's where I could come in handy."

"Ok, than lead away." I said, motioning out the door. He looked at his attire, "Can you wait a minute?" I looked nervously to the archway, half afraid that the crazy but oh-so-loving pixie would fly in here in a blaze of glory and demand my attention. He laughed after following my gaze, "Why don't you come upstairs and hide with me for a second while I change?"

I was confused; how could I hide WITH him while he changed…? I shook it off and nodded, desperate to get away. I followed him up the stairs and down the hallway to the third room on the right. It was a bedroom, his I guessed, with a huge bed with gold comforters and decorative pillows and a black leather couch on the far end. On the left of the room was quite possibly the largest collection of CDs I had ever seen complete with an expensive-looking stereo. To the right was a door which led to what I guessed was a bathroom.

"You can wait here," He said in a honey-like voice and drifted to his dresser in the right corner, tore out some clothes, and slid into the bathroom. I had the overwhelming urge to look at his CDs, but didn't want to come off as nosy so I settled on looking out his full-length window in between the bed and sofa.

The view was excellent; smooth plains of delicately trimmed vines that went on for miles, trees and mountains in the distance.

The view I got next was exceedingly better in my opinion, however. Out came Edward buttoning up a white shirt, letting me get a peek at his abs, and in low-slung faded blue jeans. He ran a hand through his messily gorgeous hair and looked at me, who was just standing there gawking. I shook myself out of the haze he put me in (somehow) and smiled, "Ready?"

His answering smile was dazzling as he motioned for me to continue. I was hesitant. I kept thinking that Alice was going to streak from the next room right on my back and crack some whip; the girl was amazingly down to earth sometimes, but she could get out of hand. We both managed to make it out of the house unseen and we started walking aimlessly among the grapevines.

"So," I started, not sure how to continue exactly, "not to be rude or anything, but why the sudden need for escape?" I had thought that when he was at the top of the stairs that he wanted to get away from all things involving me and maybe even his family, not subjugate himself to more.

"Well," He started, "I don't know how to say this without sounding like a complete jerk," He said, well that made two of us, "but I needed to get away from my family." I laughed, "I can relate." I said.

"Can you?" He asked me, "How was Phoenix for you?" I mentally hit myself over the head with a meat tenderizer. Just the kind of questions I wanted to avoid and here I was with a big HIT ME sign.

"Eh," I shrugged, "How to explain family without sounding whiny… It can't be done. Let's leave it at you aren't the only one to want to get away." His emerald eyes seemed to pierce through my soul as he probed mine for answers. He thankfully let it drop, probably sensing that I was done with this conversation.

"So I saw that massive CD collection of yours," I said, trying to keep light small talk going, "and I hear you play very well."

"Have a point?" He asked me, and I myself wondered where I was getting at. I shrugged, "Well, do you have any favorites? I mean either to play or listen to?"

"Well, I am a fan of the classics, I suppose," He said and shrugged.

"You don't really talk about your music much, do you?" I asked.

"I guess I don't really talk much at all," He said while looking at our wondering feet, "I don't know if you know how much of a breath of fresh air you are. A new face; I warn you, though, I am not the only one who feels like that. Everyone is going to want to get to know the infamous Chief Swan daughter." I groaned, "Lovely."

"You don't like attention, then?" He asked. I rolled my eyes, "No; especially not the kind that is attracted merely from my 'audience's' boredom. I don't want to be something to talk to for talking's sake," I explained. He looked at me with an unfathomable expression.

"What?" I asked, obtaining the same tone he used on his family when he greeted me. His eyes narrowed and he cocked his head, "I can't quite place you, Bella," He said softly and I had the misfortune of feeling the first stirrings of emotions I REALLY didn't want to have to deal with.

"Well," I laughed, determined to shrug this all off, "You have known me for a whomping half hour, I think you are entitled to not knowing everything about me. I might be insulted if you knew everything about me by now, actually." He laughed with me and nodded, "I suppose you are right; but I do want to get to know you, Bella." I found it sick how I loved how my name sounded rolling off his tongue; not to mention that I wanted to get acquainted with the movements of that tongue in new and improved ways…

I shook off my daze, still not able to get over that whole "don't trust a single soul" paranoia of mine.

"So," He said after a while of me struggling with my thoughts and us just wandering aimlessly, "how much have you seen so far?"

"Not much," I admitted, "I did see this cottage though," I said, furrowing my brow and trying to remember its lovely features again.

"Your inheritance," He said with a knowing look. I made a face, "Yes." He cocked his head, "Don't like the idea?"

"I don't understand it," I said, but then hit myself internally again because this was about to take a nasty turn.

"Well, I don't understand why Renee, my mother, never told me about it," I said; the statement was pretty much true, it just concealed a lot. Like, why did we live in that hell hole with Phil when we could have lived in this lovely place?

"I really can't answer that," He said shrugging, "I am sorry about what happened." My gut must have looked like it went through a blender with how much twisting it was doing. Did Esme and Carlisle lie? Did they tell their kids?

"What do you mean?" I asked, and he looked at me with a puzzled look, "I mean about your mother."

"Do you know what happened?" I asked stupidly; if he didn't know by some miracle he was bound to ask now.

"No," He said, and looked like he wanted to ask, but said, "and I won't ask you. Again, though, I warn you; people in town won't rest until they get the full story." That added a couple notches to the twister that was my nervous gut; I was seriously going to get an ulcer.

"Don't worry," He teased, seeing the distress on my face, "I'll protect you." He laughed. I winced; a lot of people had said that to me and didn't mean it. He stopped laughing and looked at me, "Is everything ok?" Ha! What a stupid thing to ask; but of course he didn't know how twisted my insides were and anything about my past.

I put on a smile, "Yeah, I am fine. Just the prospect of being the center of attention isn't too appealing to me. But if I have a security guard like you," I said, looking him up and down, "I guess I'll live," I added with a sarcastic sigh. He laughed and rolled his eyes- whew; disaster averted. It wasn't totally that I didn't trust him or anything, but I dreaded the looks of pity I was bound to get when people finally found out. I just wanted them to treat me like they would anyone else.

"Want to go tree climbing?" He asked out of the blue. What is it with these people and tree climbing?


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

"Um," I stuttered, "Wow, uh, tree climbing and me, not the best of friends," I said nervously, stopping walking and looking around.

"I think you'd make a good tree climber," He said, pursing his lips and looking at me up and down as if assessing a car to see if it would work well.

"Oh, well thank you," I said sarcastically, "I strive for your good opinion; but I also strive to keep all of my limbs intact." He laughed and took my hand as he started in the other direction. I suppressed the gasp that threatened to escape me by the rocket of electricity that shot through me because of his touch. That was just absurd; there was no way that he should have hat kind of effect on me that early… or EVER for that matter. He seemed to pause and look at our hands for a moment, but I could have been hallucinating.

"Don't be such a baby," He teased, "I won't let you fall."

"Oh, well thank you Spiderman," I muttered dryly. He evidently heard me because he chuckled softly while leading me down the grapevine isle.

I heard the faint sound of motors in the distance and I think he did too because he paused for a moment in front of me, still holding my hand and listening. The sound seemed to grow and the ground sort of shook. I looked at the grapevines besides me and they seemed to tremble a little. Edward eyes widened slightly at something behind me as the sound got louder and louder and I was about to look as Edward took me to his chest and dove backwards through one of the rows of vines.

I let out a surprised gust of air as I landed on his chest with his arms encasing me. I heard whatever zoomed by us slow down and turn around in the distance.

"Shit," Edward muttered, "Are you alright, Bella?" I was more than alright, actually. He sat up, still holding me, and checked my arms and legs over. I had minor scratches, but I have had much worse.

"Um, yeah I think so," I said a little breathlessly, "What just happened?"

"Dirt bikers," Edward muttered, and his tone suggested he knew who it was and thought himself unfortunate to have their acquaintance. I started to get up off of Edward, much to the protests of almost every cell in my body, and he helped me, dusting off my back and him.

There were three bikers, and they all zoomed to a screeching halt near the hole that Edward and I had created in the wall of grapevines. The first of the three to get to us took off his helmet, and I recognized him as Mike. The other two did as well, revealing a slightly Asian looking boy with pretty unhealthy skin and a Native American with long black hair put up in a ponytail. Mike's cautious face peered sheepishly at us through the hole.

"Hey, guys, sorry about that," Mike said. Edward shrugged, "Hey, no harm no foul, just be sure that Chief Swan doesn't catch you on those things again." He warned, gesturing at the dirt bikes. Mike nodded and looked at me, raising his eyebrows.

"Bella," He greeted almost incredulously, looking in between Edward and I, "I thought you were eating lunch with Chief Swan."

"That was over two hours ago, Mike," I said, thinking _the world doesn't put itself on pause when you aren't there_. Edward and the other two boys sniggered a little, but the other two sobered up and got off their bikes to introduce themselves.

"Oh, where are my manners?" Mike said, "These two are Eric and Jacob. Jacob is from Northern California and will be returning at the end of winter break, so you won't see him in school. Eric, however, does go to our awesome school. Jacob, Eric, meet the lovely Bella Swan, Chief Swan's daughter," He greeted with a cheesy smile my way.

"That's quite an introduction there, Mike," I said while rolling my eyes, "But it is nice to meet you two, regardless." The other two shook my hand. Jacob looked at his watch and back to Mike, "We'd better get going; wouldn't want Billy to worry and have Chief Swan after us, now would we?" Mike nodded impatiently at him then returned his attentions back to me.

"So," He said in what was probably supposed to be a sly glance, "I wanted to know if you would let me escort you around school come January; you know, introduce you to people, eat with you at lunch, the works. What do you say?" I could swear I saw Edward stiffen in my peripheral vision as I tried to think of a polite way to say no.

"Nice offer, Mike," I said, "but I, um…" I was fishing wildly for words when Edward cut in with, "but she already said that I could escort her, Mike. Isn't she just so wonderful?" He said while putting a strong arm around my waist and smiling at me with a heart-stopping, jaw-dropping smile. Mike's eyes narrowed at Edward but he let it go.

"Well than," He said, trying to rein in some form of coolness, "I'll see you around." He winked at me, put his helmet on, and led the other two down the long expanse of grapevines. I looked at their retreating forms for a while before shaking my head; this was already getting to tedious. We started walking wherever it was Edward wanted to go before we nearly got trampled; this time without him holding my hand, but walking beside me.

"Thanks for that," I said to Edward.

"For what?" He asked.

"For bailing me out of the Mike Tour Express," I said, "But you really didn't have to do it; I don't need an escort."

"Oh yes you do," He disagreed, "It would be ungentlemanly of me to not be your escort now." I rolled my eyes, "You aren't obligated to do anything in the name of chivalry. I am a big girl." He stopped and turned in front of me abruptly with a smile, "Bella, I really don't mind being with you, get that in your head. I enjoy it, actually." He continued walking beside me and I was a little dumbfounded.

"Why?" I couldn't help myself from asking. He laughed, "You are one big puzzle, now aren't you? It seems that there are tons of secrets wrapped up in your pretty little body."

"I am not all that secretive," _or interesting_ I thought.

"Besides the fact that I know next to nothing about your past, oh yes, you are an open book," He said wryly.

"My past isn't a very happy one," I said truthfully, "and it isn't much different from any other teenage angst story," I said untruthfully.

"Are you trying to talk me out of liking being around you?" He asked me incredulously, "It isn't going to work."

"I am trying to warn you that when all of this magic that this small town has conjured up about me has faded, you will be disappointed," I warned, "when you get to know everything there is to know about me you will probably be like 'that's it?'"

"It sounds to me like you are downplaying a lot of it," He said. Ah! Why was he being so freaking difficult?

"And if I am not?" I challenged.

"Fine, if you are, I will stamp a big red sign that reads 'boring' on your forehead and be done with it," He said sarcastically while laughing, "but, Bella, if I didn't already find everything you do fascinating, I probably would have retreated back to that small little room that I have been confining myself to before Alice saw me at the top of the stairs. You are a magnet, Bella; everyone wants to know you and figure you out. What they fail to realize is I doubt that you can be figured out."

I blushed at the sincerity and compliments that were positively dripping from his statement.

"So where exactly are we going?" I asked.

"Nice change of subject," He teased, "but we are going to a small lake on our property. It's a favorite painting subject of Esme's and has awesome trees lining the lake." We reached said lake after about ten minutes of walking, mostly consisting of him monopolizing the conversation. He tried to get me to talk about things as well, but I would generally say about two or three word responses and ask him a question.

The lake, much like everything else in this freaking state I had come to realize, was absolutely picturesque. I let out a gasp at the sight of it. There were HUGE weeping willows surrounding a positively untouched lake. The lake looked like it had never been so much as looked at by man, let alone touched or polluted in any way. There were strips of color where wildflowers grew at the bases of the massive trees above them and there were patches of cattails in the lake itself. There weren't even any unpleasant bugs; just butterflies and ladybugs upon closer inspection. The sunshine shone through the small gapes in the trees and streamed through the lake.

Edward led me over to a tree that I assumed was the best for climbing. The tree had some of its strong branches that leaned about twenty feet over the lake. Edward helped me up first and I maneuvered with little difficulty to a nice sitting spot. He sat on one of the branches opposite to me and the both of us were well out over the water. He laid down on the length of the branch, hands clasped over his chest and one leg dangling lazily over the water. I was positive he was going to fall, but I got the impression he sat there only about a billion times before.

"Do you like it?" He asked softly after a minute of listening to a lark's song.

"Again, it is hard NOT to like much of the views California seems to specialize in," I said with a sigh. I leaned up against a branch behind me and nestled into the lounge chair-like branches. Edward looked at me after a minute and let out a laugh.

"What's so funny?" I asked with a smile.

"The branches looked like they grew around you," He said, "You fit into them perfectly." I laughed as well at this discovery and looked at the crystal clear water about ten feet below us.

"You cannot get much cleaner than that, can you?" I asked, looking at it. He sat up and looked down at the water.

"Nope," He said, popping the "p" with his lips. He suddenly stood up on the branch with amazing grace and balance and started to unbutton his shirt.

"What are you doing?" I asked a bit startled. He had his shirt of and his shoes at this point and was working on his socks.

"It seems a pity to waste the water now, doesn't it?" He asked. I had no idea what he was talking about until he turned to me, spread his arms wide, closed his eyes and fell backwards. He did a flawless backwards dive into the water and stayed below for a second before rocketing to the surface and grabbing a lower branch and dangling there. I laughed at his show and he grinned at me from his branch. He looked utterly perfect dripping wet and shirtless with his jeans precariously low on his hips.

"Your turn," He called. I wildly shook my head no.

"I can't go home all wet!" I said, "What would I tell Charlie?"

"That I am a very irresponsible but lucky man?" He offered. I pursed my lips in mock thought than shook my head, "No dice."

"Don't make me come up there and get you," He warned with a devilish gleam in his eyes.

"Ooh," I said in false fear, "If I had boots on I'd be quaking in them."

"Don't believe me, aye?" He asked as he swung himself up on a branch adjacent to the one he was hanging on and started to scale the tree. I laughed and screamed as he came closer and I backed to the far end of the branch, which was farther over the water. He jumped lithely onto the base of the branch I was on and smiled at me wickedly. Even trapped I could admire his physical attributes and how graceful and nearly catlike he was in the tree; too bad I was his prey. He started to crawl outward towards me and I scrambled away from him, further to the outside of the tree.

"You are really making this too easy, Miss Swan," He practically purred, making me shiver involuntarily.

"Am I?" I asked in a shaky voice. His eyes narrowed as his smile grew- he smelled victory. He continued to stalk towards me and he just oozed a sexual atmosphere with his dripping wet, shirtless self and his sultry tone of voice- not to mention he was crawling out to me, giving me a wonderful view of the muscles that were rolling under his pale, perfect skin.

I ran out of room to back up from so I just waited until he caught up to me and perched himself in front of me.

"Still don't believe me, Miss Swan?" He asked when his face was about six inches from mine, his sweet breath fanning over my face. I wanted to jump his bones.

I shook my head to clear out my thoughts and looked down at the water, then looked back up at him through my eyelashes.

"You aren't going to be so unchivalrous as to drag a lady into water, are you Mr. Cullen?" I asked in an equally sultry voice, pushing myself a little closer to him; two could play at that game, Cullen. His pupils dilated ever-so slightly and his breathing sped up a little, matching mine. He put a hand on my arm than ran it up my arm, over my shoulder, to the base of my neck. He gaze flickered to my lips and my breathing spiked, heart rate going a mile a minute. His other arm left the branch and he was able to balance himself on the lone branch while having one hand on the back of my neck and the other on my upper arm.

My skin felt like it was on fire, my heart was throwing itself against my ribcage, and my lungs were not satisfied with the air they got and demanded more, faster as he inched closer to me. His eyes closed and mine fluttered shut as I was frozen in his hands, his face mere inches from mine.

My head was screaming at me to stop this before something happened and relationships that I could not keep were made, but other feelings (otherwise dormant or nonexistent prior to meeting Edward) demanded that I close the gap.

My mind won as my eyes sprang open and I went on the offensive, thinking of a devilish plan myself. I sprang from my sitting position and quite literally tackled Edward into the water.

He let out a surprised "What?!" before the water crashed around us. The water was a cool, refreshing temperature and about ten feet down, maybe more. I resurfaced laughing and Edward was confused.

"Did you…?" He asked as realization dawned on his face. He got a wicked look on his angelic features and dove beneath the surface. My laughter died down as I tried to figure out what he was doing. The angle of the water refracted the light from below and reflected the trees, so I could not see below the surface very well. I started to wade towards the shore about fifteen feet away uneasily. What was he up to?

I got to a point where I could stand but the next moment something grabbed my feet and I didn't even have time to scream as it pulled me underwater. Edward started to furiously tickle my sides underwater and I could hear my laughter through the water.

We resurfaced gasping for air. I stumbled to the shore some more and plopped down on the soggy bank where the water washed over my hips. Edward sank beside me and laid down, the water just deep enough to waft at the back of his head and carry his hair. He had a triumphant smile on.

"Why the huge smile?" I asked after a second of catching my breath.

"You just got owned," He said simply. I narrowed my eyes.

"Who tackled who into the water?" I asked.

"And who completely dominated who in the water?" He countered.

"So, by 'completely dominating' you mean tickling?" I asked, but didn't wait for a response as I straddled his waist and started tickling his sides. His eyes clamped shut and he started to laugh and he tried to buck me off. He grabbed my shoulders and spun me around so that he was on top of me. He pinned my arms down so I made a sort of T and I was still straddling his waist. He was panting and his hair was wild as he looked at me in a way that sent my insides twisting in different ways before. I was leaning on my elbows as my stomach made a U shape from being off of the ground straddling Edward's waist, then my back on the floor, than my upper back off of the floor propped on my elbows, my forearms pinned by Edward's hands.

He started to laugh and said, "Maybe we should get cleaned up before we get any more muddy and wet." I agreed even though I thought it would be a blessing to roll around in the lake with him. He scaled the tree and got his clothes as I wrung out my hair and my clothes. He offered me his shirt, but seeing how I had on a dark blue cotton shirt (not white) I didn't need it (even though I wanted it) and didn't need to explain to Charlie why I was dripping with some guy's shirt on.

We made it back to the Cullen's house by twilight and stepped through the doors laughing at something Edward had said. Our laughter died as we looked around the room to four stunned Cullen's and two stunned Hale's. Well, I guess we have some explaining to do.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: This is a pretty long chapter, but I didn't want to cut it up.**

Chapter Seven

"Hey guys," Edward said brightly as he closed the doors, and I saw that it had started to rain slightly. How is that for timing? Everyone stared at him dumbfounded, and then their gaze slid to me. I looked at them innocently like "no I am not soaking wet and muddy after spending hours with your gorgeous son who evidently doesn't get out much".

"Um," Emmett said, "Where were you guys, Edward why are you smiling, and why on Earth are you all wet and dirty?" He asked, probably voicing the questions buzzing in everyone else's' heads.

"Well, Emmett," Edward said like he was talking to a five-year-old, "Some people smile sometimes and I showed Bella the lake that Esme likes. I was actually hoping that Alice and Rosalie could help Bella get cleaned up so that Charlie doesn't jump to the wrong conclusions that you are all no doubt jumping to."

Alice and Rosalie zeroed in on me and narrowed their eyes, "Excellent," Alice whispered determined and Rosalie nodded. They came up to me, seized either arm, and scaled the stairs two at a time. I looked back in the room in time to see Jasper and Emmett closing in on Edward; he was probably going to undergo twenty questions like me.

I didn't pay much attention to where we were going, but I did as soon as we passed through a doorway and through a room to a huge bathroom that smelled and looked like a Victoria's Secret bathroom. There were products neatly situated on delicate shelves and white fluffy towels hanging on towel rods, the works.

They sat me down on a mini bar stool than was positioned near the vanity and leaned over me like FBI interrogators.

"What the hell was that?" Rose asked first.

"Care to elaborate officer?" I asked, completely amused with the whole situation. Alice rolled her eyes.

"Edward doesn't show anyone anything on our property," She began, "Or like, even talk to them. He barely talked to us, so his warm greeting even to us was a shock. And he DEFINITELY doesn't pay that close attention to any girl within his range."

"It doesn't help that most girls around here are bimbos, but still," Rosalie said, "Emmett was going to start throwing around the 'prude' and 'gay' assumptions."

I rolled my eyes, "Honestly, just because he doesn't talk all of the time and isn't a walking hormone he is all of the sudden a phantom? I think his kind of thinking is refreshing," I said, than I looked at my clothes.

"But I honestly should get out of these clothes and get home; Charlie only knows that I was out exploring his land," They nodded and let me shower up and gave me a change of clothes, which consisted of short Sophie's and a cotton tank top. On my way back downstairs I walked past a room and heard Edward's annoyed voice coming through it.

"Emmett, lay off with the police-like interrogation," He said, "and for God's sake put that spotlight away."

"Fine," Emmett muttered.

"Seriously though," Jasper said, "Do you like Bella?" My heart stopped.

"I don't know, I have only known her a day," Edward said.

"You'd know by then," Jasper said, "And I think you do, you just don't want to admit it to us."

"I would know after a day if I liked Bella?" Edward asked flatly, "How cheap do you want to make her, Jasper? Honestly; do you think she would settle for some day-long crush? Do you think she is that easy?"

"Well no, but," Jasper stuttered.

"Then what?" Edward snapped, "I like being around Bella, yes. I think I might get stronger feelings for her, but I don't want to screw things up by going too fast, alright? You guys make it sound like it's a sin that I haven't pledged my undying love for her."

"Defensiveness," Emmett noted, "That's a good sign."

I heard Edward exasperated sigh and a chair screech across wood and footsteps towards the door. I unfroze and kept walking downstairs.

This was pretty awful; I liked Edward. I could already tell I felt an emotional attachment to him, and it was much stronger than any attachment to anything else; the lake, the cottage, et cetera. Edward might like me. That couldn't happen. He shouldn't like me. I was bound to become an emotionally unstable individual. I practically was already; what with my not trusting anyone. Hell, I found it hard to trust Charlie not to barge in drunk. I constantly had to remind myself that everybody weren't wholly bad; I just had a lot of bad people in my past. What with all of Phil's drinking buddies who came home and I would have to knock out before they raped me or even with teachers who would blatantly ignore the bruises because I was a klutz and they were afraid of Phil.

"Hey, Bella," Alice greeted me when I walked into the family room, "I am going to round up the gang and watch a movie, you want to join?"

"Thanks Alice, but I should really be getting back," I said, glancing at the grandfather clock in the corner.

"Oh, we called him for you, Bella," Esme said, "He was a little worried when we did, but we called him while you were out with Edward. He says because it is winter break you have no real curfew." I grit my teeth; I needed to leave. I had to get out of their suffocating, wonderful presence; I had to regroup.

"But we could give you a ride if you want, Bella," Carlisle added, probably seeing the faint stirrings of consternation that leaked out of my façade, "You aren't our prisoner and must be tired."

"I'll take you home, Bella," Edward said as he appeared at the top of the stairs and started to descend them. He looked like something out of a movie. His damp hair clung to his face slightly, and his form-fitting shirt draped over his chest and the hem of his low-slung jeans effortlessly. He eyed my now exposed legs and slightly small tank top longer than necessary as he came down the stairs. He paused at a table at the end of the stairs, swiped up his keys and wallet, than motioned for me to head outside with him. I didn't miss Esme's huge smile and Carlisle proud expression as we walked out the door, but I chose to ignore it.

"I must really be sending your family for a spin, huh?" I asked him. He laughed a short, tense laugh.

"Yeah, well," He said sort of uneasily, "They'd have you believe I spit nails at anyone who tried to talk to me before you came." He led me to a shiny Volvo and opened my door for me. I smiled at him and got in. He walked around and opened his door and started the car.

"Well," I said, "did you?"

"Not really," He said, "I didn't like to converse with the utter morons; you met a few of them today. If I found someone actually interesting I would have acted more outgoing. But, alas, you were the first to interest me; what can I say?" I laughed.

"I don't know," I said truthfully, "but you make it sound like I am some shiny new toy; something to be coveted."

"Well doesn't everyone want to covet you, now?" He asked, "Everyone seems to want to monopolize you, and it is your first day here!" I couldn't help but detect the undercurrent of possessiveness in his voice and I tried not to detect how much I liked that. I settled in the seat as he pulled out of the drive and listened to a familiar song.

"Fan of Mozart, are we?" I asked him. He did a double take, "Greensleeves is one of my favorites." He admitted.

He started to hum along with the lyrics and I was immediately enraptured by his voice.

Alas, my love, you do me wrong,  
to cast me off discourteously.  
For I have loved you well and long,  
delighting in your company.  
Greensleeves was all my joy  
Greensleeves was my delight,  
Greensleeves was my heart of gold,  
and who but my lady greensleeves.  
Your vows you've broken, like my heart,  
Oh, why did you so enrapture me?  
Now I remain in a world apart  
but my heart remains in captivity.

I have been ready at your hand,  
to grant whatever you would crave;  
I have both wagered life and land,  
your love and good-will for to have.  
If you intend thus to disdain,  
It does the more enrapture me,  
and even so, I still remain  
A lover in captivity.  
My men were clothed all in green,  
and they did ever wait on thee;  
all this was gallant to be seen,  
and yet thou wouldst not love me.  
Thou couldst desire no earthly thing,  
but still thou hadst it readily.  
Thy music still to play and sing;  
and yet thou wouldst not love me.  
Well, I will pray to God on high,  
that thou my constancy mayst see,  
And that yet once before I die,  
Thou wilt vouchsafe to love me.  
Ah, Greensleeves, now farewell, adieu,  
To God I pray to prosper thee,  
for I am still thy lover true,  
Come once again and love me.

This song murmured from Edward's lips was almost comical. The song portrays a Lady who denies the love of the singer, and the singer begs her to return his sentiments. I found it outrageously funny to think that Edward would ever need to beg a woman to love him. By the end of the song Edward had maneuvered around his property and mine and pulled next to the house.

Crap; why was it so difficult to leave the freaking car?

I looked at the handle, than at the house, than back to the handle. Leaving Edward was not a nice option.

"I guess I will see you around," I said, looking at him with a small smile. He returned an equally small and possibly sad smile as well.

"Yeah, I'll call you or something. We should hang out again tomorrow," He said, seemingly making these plans up as he went. I laughed and nodded, opening the door and stepping out.

"Bella?" He called and I whirled back to him, his face inches from mine because he leaned over.

"Yes?" I asked, slightly breathless by his proximity.

"Sweet dreams," He breathed, looking at my lips and my eyes. **(A/N: Yup, I stole this from the book, muahahaha)**

"Um, yeah," I said, "You too." I got out of the car and closed the door softly. He waited until I was inside before he backed up and drove away.

"Hey, Bells," Charlie said, wrapped up in yet another game. How many of those were there per day?

"Hey Charlie," I called," I am probably just going to get cleaned up and go to bed, good night." He mumbled something in response as I ascended the stairs to my room. I looked out my window which faced the direction of the Cullen's house. Esme was right, though; I couldn't see their house. I sighed and flopped into bed, the words of Greensleeves swirling in my head: 

Ah, Greensleeves, now farewell, adieu,  
To God I pray to prosper thee,  
for I am still thy lover true,  
Come once again and love me.

…………………………………………………………………………………

I woke the next morning with a start. I had the same awful dream that has been plaguing my slumber since Phil. The dreams kept on progressing past the point of where they had been before. Now I got to a point where some unseen force started to hurt all of the figures that had come to help me, including one emerald-eyed, godlike one whose embrace brought the most comfort and warmth.

Beads of sweat budded on my brow and my arms were trembling. I got up and looked out the window; the sun barely peeked over the horizon. I looked at the clock that read seven AM and decided I would eat a quick breakfast, than go exploring.

So I did just that.

After eating, latching a watch to my wrist, and leaving a note for Charlie and some blueberry waffles for him, I was off. I decided I would go scope out the cottage, trying to remember if I knew the way. I had told Charlie via note that I was swinging by the cottage to do some seriously needed tidying up. I found my way to the clearing and looked at the cottage for a second before going inside.

It was much more magical than my memory remembered. Dirty, yes, but magical nevertheless. I started to do an inventory of cleaning supplies and what needed to be cleaned. The bathroom was in need of assistance to say the least and the kitchen had silverware and dishes, but they all needed to be scraped off with, like, a chisel. I started to unload the dishes in the cupboard and start the sink to wash them when a soprano voice rang in from the doorway, "Hello Snow White!"

"You are short two dwarves," Jasper said, "so you'll have to do with five."

"What are you guys doing here?" I asked trying to not sound rude, just confused.

"Want us to leave?" Rosalie said with a smile as they all filed into the cottage.

"Well, no," I said, "but this isn't going to be much fun. I am going to try to clean."

"We know," Edward said, "we called Charlie and he told us where you were and what you were doing. Esme, Carlisle and Charlie are all going out to lunch in about two hours."

"Way to make us sound like stalkers, Edward," Alice muttered. The next turn of events made me and everyone else double over in laughter. In came Emmett with a deep wheelbarrow full of cleaning supplies, including a battery-operated vacuum, and looking like a HUGE Martha Stewart. He had a pink bandana on his head with yellow flowers and a matching apron. He had elbow-length, yellow rubber gloves on and green scrubs on beneath the apron.

"What?" Emmett asked with a smile, "I wanted to look the part," and with that he grabbed the pink feather duster and started prancing around the small living room while singing "Happy Working Song" from Enchanted. He even batted his eyelashes and sang in a higher pitch voice.

It was hilarious.

The rest of us sobered up somehow and started to clean again. Jasper and Edward went outside to rid the walls of vines and clean the windows from the outside. I started to wash the dishes again and didn't notice them until a shirtless Edward walked past the window that was to my left from the sink and started to clean it. It was a particularly grimy window and he started from the bottom and worked his way to the top. I couldn't help but watch his rippling pectorals and arm muscles and abs work to scrape the grim away.

"He is rather dreamy, huh?" Someone asked beside me. I was so deep in his fog that I just barely kept myself from murmuring an agreement when I realized it was Alice who was looking at me with a sly grin. I gave her a warning look and she let out peals of laughter, getting Edward's attention. He looked at me confused and I could feel myself blush a deep red. He grew more intrigued as he cocked his head to the side. Thankfully someone called him outside and he turned his head to see whoever called him. He backed up a few steps and caught a bottled water. He opened it and instead of drinking it he bowed his head poured it on his hair and back of neck shamelessly.

Oh my God.

I watched as the water worked its way down his slightly muscular but well-toned back and chest and touched his jean shorts. He flipped his now-wet hair up and a little stream of water was flicked from his locks. He had some left and chugged it than walked out of sight of the now-clean window. Did I just faint? I blinked a few times; nope, I was still conscious. Alice sniggered a little from the floor that she was cleaning, but said nothing. I returned to washing the dishes in a flourish, trying to distract myself. Rosalie came in a handed us a water and started to clean the kitchen cupboards where the dishes went with a rag and some Pledge. I could hear Emmett working the dust buster and vacuum in the next room and saw Jasper and Edward re-enter from their window-washing escapades and go into the bedroom and bathroom. I finished with the dishes and put them in the now-spotless cupboards courtesy of Rose who had moved onto cleaning the windows from the inside. I started to clean the refrigerator when I heard Alice squeak in surprise and a SPLAT sound. I turned around and saw Alice who had a bunch of soap blasted on her and a soggy sponge lay at her feet. She just got sponged.

"Jasper Hale!" She screeched as she picked up the sponge and charged at the front door where I assumed Jasper made a run for it. I heard a bunch of laughter and saw more soap fly outside. I laughed softly and continued on the fridge. Jasper and Alice came back through the door a soapy mess and I was grateful for the tile that lined the front door walkway to the kitchen. They dried each other off and it was hard to ignore how tender they were (even after they just tried to suffocate each other with soap). Jasper leaned over Alice and whipped off her nose, kissed it, whipped off her cheek, kissed it, her forehead, kissed it, et cetera. I ignored them as I moved to the stove- which was a disaster. Upon whipping the brown surface, I saw that the stove was actually white. Wow; it really let itself go.

We finished cleaning about an hour later and sat in the tidy living room. Well, we tried to; there wasn't a bundle of space, but it was doable. Rosalie sat on Emmett's lap on one of the two lounge chairs and Jasper and Alice sat on one of the wide arms. Edward leaned on the arm of the other lounge chair and I lay on the seat sideways with my legs draped over the arm in back of Edward and I leaned on the other arm. We chatted lightly and I thanked them profusely.

"Don't worry about it, Bella," Rose said.

"Hey, do you guys want to go to the lake?" Alice proposed. We all looked at each other and agreed.

"I'll go home and change, I'll meet you guys there," I said walking out the door. The Cullen's collected the cleaning supplies and left, Edward lagging behind. I waved and turned, but he caught my arm.

"Where do you think you are going?" He asked me.

"Home…?" I said, looking at him like he was nuts.

"Alone? After I said that I would escort you? I think not," He said with a smirk. I rolled my eyes, "Oh yes, what was I thinking?"

"Exactly," He said with a triumphant smile as he walked with me to Charlie's. True to his word, Charlie was out with Esme and Carlisle when we arrived at the house. We walked up the stairs and Edward let out an intrigued hum.

"What?" I asked as we scaled the stairs.

"I didn't know where those tapestries of Esme's went," He said, pointing to the tapestries on the wall, "now I know."

"Where did she get them? They are marvelous," I said in awe.

"She did them," Edward said. I stopped dead and Edward nearly ran into me.

"Is something wrong?" He asked me.

"She MADE them?" I asked in shock.

"Yes, she is a very talented artist," He said with obvious admiration. I shook off the stupor, realizing I shouldn't be surprised; the woman seemed to be able to do anything. I went upstairs and into the bathroom to change while Edward waited in my room. I decided to brush my teeth and thanked the razor gods that I shaved last night. I changed into a blue polka dotted bikini top and bottom and threw on some black board shorts that came up to mid thigh and blue thong sandals that had a plastic flower at the roof on my foot. I had the pleasure of watching his eyes widen a little upon taking my outfit in, but he shook it off and motioned out the door, "Shall we?"

We made it back to the Cullen's house in about twenty minutes and I waited in Edward's room while he changed. I moseyed over to his CD collection this time and looked at it while he changed this time, my curiosity getting the best of me. He had everything; from Debussy to Tim McGraw, Beethoven to Kevin Rudolf. I heard the door open and Edward stepped out in a white wife-beater **(A/N: who the f thought of that name?)** and black swim trunks with white pinstripes down the sides and black Nike slip-ons.

We made our way to the lake in time to see Rosalie and Emmett pretty much making out and Jasper and Alice sitting in a tree. Jasper was leaning on the trunk of the tree sitting on the branch with Alice in between his legs and her leaning on him. He would occasionally message her shoulders or whisper something in her ear that would make her blush. Edward scaled the tree that we climbed yesterday and jumped in, doing a cannonball right next to Rose and Emmett, who were undisturbed. I rolled my eyes and dove in, reveling in the feel of water around my body. I surfaced and floated on the water, looking at the overhead trees.

Evidently SOMEBODY wasn't having that. Strong hands encased my hips and dragged me under, my squeal of surprise muffled by the water. Edward wrapped his legs around my waist from behind and started to tickle me mercilessly. I writhed and bucked but to no avail. I managed to twist in his arms to face him and he surfaced with me inches from him. We were both panting for air and he looked much more delectable than anyone had the right to; eyes wild and hair sexily messy with a gorgeous smile playing at his lips. My arms were folded in front of me and against his chest and his arms were wound around my back and holding me tight…not that I minded.

"You have a problem with keeping your hands off people, Edward," I told him breathlessly.

"No," He disagreed, "Just you." I could practically feel my pupils enlarge and my breathing accelerate as he smiled and inched closer. My heart tried to free itself from my chest as it pounded against my ribs.

"Ow!" He yelped out of nowhere. I snapped back into reality and pushed away from him as he looked down in the water.

"What was that?" I asked him.

"Something bit me," He muttered, looking around the lake. I didn't have enough time to be alarmed, though, because a huge Emmett leaped from the water and tackled me. We surfaced, me gasping for air and choking on water and Emmett laughing like a madman. Rosalie joined in and was giggling on the other side of Edward; evidently she pinched him. Jasper and Alice also laughed from the tree and even after Edward splashed them.

"Emmett you big lug," I said good-naturedly, "You could've killed me."

"All in a day's work," He said. He turned to Rose to show her his biceps and left his back to me. What a bad idea. I smiled mischievously at his back and Edward laughed as I pounced on Emmett's back and covered his eyes with my hands. He moved to try to get me off but I just jerked the other way, causing him to stumble and dunk his head under water. He spluttered on water and everyone else was pretty much in hysterics by our wrestling.

"Ok, Bella, you want to play hard ball, I'm game," Emmett said with a smile in his voice. He took hold of my legs in his arms, jumped up and did a back flop with me on his back. He thrashed underwater trying to dislodge me, but he didn't know that I had a vice grip. He resurfaced after about fifteen seconds of heavy fighting gasping for air.

"Holy crow, Bella," Emmett gasped, "You should join the rodeo."

"Are you calling yourself a bull?" I asked. Everyone was shrieking with laughter.

"Yeah, yeah," Emmett muttered trying to get my hands off his eyes.

"Edward, get this crazy woman off me," Emmett moaned. I heard Edward chuckle as he snaked his arms around my waist and tugged. I turned around and gave him Bambi eyes, "You are going to ruin my fun?" I asked in a small voice. Edward looked heartbroken, "Holy shit," He muttered, "Emmett, you are on your own."

"Excellent," I whispered. Emmett moaned.

"Don't make me try harder, Bella," He warned. I rolled my eyes, "Do your worst," I said fearlessly. He marched toward the shore and stepped out of the water. He amazingly climbed a tree without much effort.

"Careful, Emmett," Edward warned. Emmett scoffed, "Bella will be returned to you unscathed, so long as she doesn't loosen her vice grip on my back…the little monkey."

Emmett stood on a limb above the water, hanging onto a limb above us lazily. My eyes widened slightly, we were about thirty feet over the water.

"You game?" He whispered over his shoulder, "Or are you too chicken?" My eyes narrowed, thinking of a plan, I said, "Go for it." Emmett stepped off of the branch, but I grabbed the branch that he was holding onto earlier and let him fall. He looked up at me and yelled, "CHICKEN!" on his way down. He made a huge splash and surfaced with laughter.

"Your turn, Swan!" He yelled. I was still dangling from the branch and saw no other real way down, so I curled my torso and straitened my legs so I made a U, than let go, straitened out so I was doing a dive, and shot into the water like an arrow.

The height of the water impacted with my hands, so I didn't hurt my head of anything, and I was surprised at how easy it was to dive. I surfaced and heard the clapping from the shore.

"Ok, Swan, you are officially cool," Emmett said as I swam to shore. I rolled my eyes, "Oh thank you, Master Emmett."

"That was pretty wicked, Bella," Alice complimented and I nodded modestly.

"Was that a sort of induction thing or something?" I asked.

"Oh yes," Rosalie said, "The Cullen-Hale Fraternity. Who knows? Maybe someday you will be a Cullen." She said with a sly glance in Edward's direction. Edward actually blushed.

"So what now?" I asked, trying to change the subject before Emmett started to sing Wagner's Bridal March.

"I don't know," Alice said, "What do you guys want to do?"

"Do you want to come over my house for a movie or something?" I offered, "You know, to make up for ditching you yesterday." They laughed and agreed, "Oh, but you might want to bring a movie to watch; I don't know what Charlie has movie-wise."

"I'll meet you guys there, I have some cleaning up to do," I said as I made my way to the path that led to my house.

"Leave it, Edward," Rosalie said, "Let her get the house ready for visitors; you don't have to be with her all of the time."

"I'm not with her all of the time, though," Edward muttered but complied as he walked with his family in the direction of his house. I laughed softly and got to my house in about fifteen minutes. I popped some mozzarella sticks into the oven and went upstairs to change into some jeans and a t-shirt.

As I was slipping on my shirt I heard the fire alarm go off.

"Shit!" I muttered as I raced downstairs. I felt the door and it was warm, so I took the vase on top of the table and used it to push open the door. Flames licked the whole of the kitchen. I took the thick blanket that was on the couch in the living room and, on pure adrenaline, suffocated most of the flames. A pipe that I had not seen before was sticking out from behind the stove.

_The gas line_ I thought in horror. I saw some of the gas leak out of it, wrapped myself in the blanket, and dove outside just before the explosion happened.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

"_The gas line" I thought in horror. I saw some of the gas leak out of it, wrapped myself in the blanket, and dove outside just before the explosion happened._

I whipped the blanket that caught fire off of me and ran out of reach of the flames.

I swore to myself that I would die before I let the fire touch a single grapevine. I saw a massive switch for the sprinklers and turned them on and watched with satisfaction as the vines that were a ways away from the flame got soaked- protecting them further. I looked back to the house and watched in horror as it took over the living room.

_The tapestries!_ I thought frantically. I sprinted around the house and burst through the front door. I undid the tapestry on the left when firefighters burst through the door.

"The fire is through that door!" I hollered as I ran across the balcony and to the other flight of stairs where the other tapestry was.

"You have to exit the building, ma'am!" One shouted over the alarm. I unhooked the second tapestry and carried it outside like "ok". I put the tapestries in Charlie's police cruiser and sat on the hood with my chin on my knees and my arms wrapped around my legs.

_Way to go, Swan,_ I thought sourly, _your second day and you have already caused massive chaos and pandemonium. Are you going to burn down the cottage next, too?_

"Bella?!" Came Edward's anxious voice. He ran around the side of the house to the front and saw me on the hood of the car. He sprinted to me, the other Cullen kids in tow, and roped me into a strong embrace

"Oh my God, Bella," He whispered hoarsely; he was beside himself. He looked at my face, than at my body; taking inventory.

"Bella, what happened?" Alice asked breathlessly. I shrugged, not really capable of using words and I honestly didn't know WHAT happened. How did the gas line break like that? How did the fire grow so strong in so little time? These thoughts buzzed around in my mind as Edward held me as if holding onto his sanity. I leaned into his chest and breathed in his scent.

"Bella, your house didn't just spontaneously combust," Rose said, "What happened?"

"Lay off Rose," Edward said, "she is probably going into shock."

I wondered if this was a possibility. I didn't think I was going into shock; I felt a little sick at the thought of explaining this to Charlie, but I didn't feel shaky or sugar deprived. I heard a set of tired screech into the pebble drive and looked as Carlisle's black Mercedes spun in a parking space. Charlie practically dove out of the car, eyes wild and seized the first official he could find.

"Where is Bella?" He asked frantically.

"She is over there and safe, sir," He said a little shakily; I couldn't blame him, Charlie looked possessed. He whirled to the direction the firefighter said and walked briskly over to me. Edward didn't let go of me and I was thankful for Charlie's insane state of mind because he couldn't seem to register this interaction. He looked me in the eyes crazily.

"What happened Bella?" He asked me, "Are you alright?"

I told them everything from the cheese sticks, to the mysteriously broken gas line, to turning on the sprinklers and saving the tapestries. Edward, who had been stiff and apparently not breathing, let out a whoosh of air and held me closer, "Oh Bella," he breathed into my hair.

"I am so sorry, Charlie," I said to him sincerely, "I had no idea that the cheese sticks were so…combustible." Charlie shook his head impatiently.

"I could care less about the damn house, Bella," He said, "I am just glad you are ok; as are your friends." He noted, finally seeming to notice the other Cullen's and Hale's.

"Oh Bella!" Esme said, brushing Edward off and holding me rib-crushingly tight. Edward didn't let me go completely, and held my arm close to his chest. Esme held me at arms' length and examined me, much like the others had been doing.

"Oh my goodness," She said as she looked over me in a motherly tone.

"I am fine, Esme, thank you," I told her quietly as Edward engulfed me in another embrace. She eyed Edward and so did Carlisle; they must have been in a more sane state to realize the interaction. I didn't much care; I needed some grip on sanity myself and Edward's scent and care was just the thing. A Hispanic firefighter approached us and took off his helmet.

"The fire spread to the front room there near the staircases, but we were able to save the upstairs," He reported, and I thanked God that He sent me the thought to get the tapestries out of there, "The foundation is unstable and you will have to find somewhere else to stay while your insurance pays for the repairs."

"They can stay with us," Edward said at once.

"Oh Edward, you don't have to," Charlie said uneasily, "We are going to rent a room at the bed and breakfast in town and-"

"You are staying with us," Edward said with finality.

"How about Bella stay with you guys and I can rent a room at the bed and breakfast," Charlie suggested, "I haven't seen Sue Clearwater in a while and she will probably give me a good rate. I might even get to see Harry." The thought seemed to cheer him up, "Besides, the bed and breakfast is closer to the station."

"So it's settled," Esme said with a smile, "Insurance should pay for the place to stay as well, right?" Charlie nodded. Edward's grip on me tightened and Charlie seemed to notice the interaction between us for the first time. He quirked a brow at us and whispered in an audible voice, "Look after those two," to Carlisle. I don't think Charlie knew that everyone could hear him, but Edward was beyond being embarrassed as he just held me and looked at the charred house.

"Oh, Charlie," I said, "Esme's tapestries are in the backseat of your cruiser."

"Why are they in there?" He asked me.

"They would've gotten burned if I didn't take them out," I said, pretty sure I would not be able to bear it if they got destroyed.

"Oh, Bella," Esme said, "You really shouldn't have done that. What if you got hurt?"

I didn't answer because I was positive anything I said would fall on deaf ears.

"You should probably get going, Bella," Charlie said, "I can stay here and fill out the police reports better than you can, I'd hope. I'll swing by with what clothes and things that they can get later." Edward slid me off of the car hood and held my arm to Carlisle's car. He slid in the back with me in his lap, Jasper sat with Alice in his lap, and Emmett sat with Rose in his lap; it was a tight squeeze. I had to remind myself that Edward was only being a gentleman and his lap was the last place I could sit; he didn't need me there. We fortunately made it back from to the house in a rather short amount of time and we more or less tumbled out of the car. We laughed and straitened ourselves out and headed inside.

"Ok," Alice said, "I was in the mood to watch a movie, and I'll be damned if some fire stops us. Movie in the living room!" She took hold of Jasper's hand and skipped merrily in the next room. Emmett and Rosalie laughed and followed them. I was about to follow them when Edward grabbed my hand.

"How about we get some sugar in you?" He said; his tone of voice and movement to what I guessed was the kitchen suggested there was no argument. He said it more like an announcement of what we were doing next rather than an option. He led me through the little room in the front and past the staircase to a swinging door that led to a modern-looking kitchen. Stainless steel covered every inch of the appliances and cabinet knobs. The right wall and half of the far wall were lined with countertops and there was a bar that formed a sort of triangle to the countertops, except the two lower ends were cut off for a walkway. On the left side of the room was a small table. I guessed that they had a sort of dining room because there wasn't enough seats in this room to seat them all and I thought it very Cullen-ish to have a dining room for entertaining guests.

Edward sat me down at one of the barstools and started to prepare something. He cooks; I shouldn't be surprised. With a mother like Esme, he could probably sew, too. I was fiddling with that mental image when Edward plopped a plate of fruit salad in front of me and returned to whatever was boiling on the stove.

"I don't need that much, Edward," I said, picking up the fork and spearing a pineapple. He put a hand on either side of the stove and hunched over the stewing pot, just staring at it.

"Are you alright?" I asked him quietly. He let out a disbelieving laugh and stirred.

"Are YOU alright, Bella?" He asked me, turning around and leaning up against the counter near the stove opposite the bar.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I said surprised, "Why do you ask?"

"Because you almost got charred," He said matter-of-factly. He poured the contents of the pot into two bowls and set one in front of me; fettuccini alfredo, yum.

"Thank you," I said, "and yes, I am fine. I feel awful about the house, but I am fine physically and am not in shock. You can stop looking at me like I am going to fall to pieces now." I said with a coy smile. He smiled a slight smile and sat next to me, than the smiled was replaced with a thoughtful, tense expression.

"What's the matter, Edward? Tell me," I said softly, twirling some fettuccini on my fork and popping it in my mouth, ready to listen. He heaved a sigh.

"I don't know how to explain this," Edward muttered while running a hand through his hair, "but I almost died tonight."

I choked on the pasta.

He looked at me worried and got a bottle of water from the fridge and gave it to me. He sat back down and I drank the water to clear my throat, than said, "What?!"

"Not really from, like, a FIRE or anything," He said, "but from fear," he said in a tight whisper, eyes narrowed and looking at something unseen.

"What do you mean?" I asked him.

"When we saw the smoke stack in the vineyard on our way, I booked it," He said, "I didn't bother to pause if something hit me or scratched me… and I am not positive if I did scratch myself on something," he muttered and looked at his legs quickly, "I burst through the last wall of vines and thought that I would surely drop dead at the prospect of you… not alive," He whispered, emotion catching his throat. I was so confused. The feelings that he were describing were applicable for me to him, but how on Earth could he have those emotions for me?

"You were worried something bad happened because that was the one time you weren't there," I stated simply, "Now your conscious is clear. No big." I brushed off. Edward looked incensed.

"No Bella," He said sharply, looking at me with a fire a million times more smothering than the house fire in his eyes, "You're wrong. Sure, I may have faced guilt, but more than guilt, I would have faced loss: like a part of me died, like the sun would never rise again, like I would never see color in anything again. I feel such…such… such strong ties to you. I would say I feel strong feelings for you, but that doesn't even begin to cover it," He ranted, leaving me dumbfounded, "And now I don't know how I could live another day without you," He said and then looked sheepish, "And now that I am being so casual about confessing my deepest feelings, why don't I ask for your hand?" He muttered sarcastically, "I am sorry, this must be so odd."

I was glued to my seat and hanging onto his every word; desperate for them to be true.

He looked like he sort of regretted saying anything, though, "Wow, that was uncalled for. Eat your pasta; I'll be in the living room." He said as he got up hurriedly, put his bowl in the fridge, than left the room swiftly.

I was frozen.

What the hell just happened? Did he just say he loved me in some very long, very old fashioned way or something? Or was he merely explaining his big-brother-like protectiveness he feels for me? My mind wouldn't work right. I couldn't think strait. Ah, inner conflict; the whole "part of me wants this, but another wants that" conundrum. Part A wanted to leap into his arms, kiss him senseless, and make him cry my name in ecstasy as he deflowered me, then stay in his arms for the rest of eternity and than some. Part B, however, knew that he didn't know everything about me; and when he learned it somehow as he would by invariably hanging around me, he would give me the pity stare and write me off as an unstable nutcase.

With a past like mine, who could blame him?

I mean, wasn't my past what sappy hurt/comfort stories were made of? I am no doubt the first person to have a troubled past, and I will be the first to admit that, but the real world isn't like fantasy or fiction. In the movies, let's say, I would tell Edward in a spiral of tears after trying long and hard to conceal my secrets and he would hold me whispering sweet nothings while letting me get it all out. Then we would get married and live happily ever after.

There are a few problems with that theory, however.

For one thing, I am not going to have ANY problems concealing my secret. Only three other people in the world that knew people around here knew about my past and I decided to believe them when they said that they wouldn't tell: Charlie, Carlisle, and Esme. I would never have a problem with concealing anything: my past, tears, nothing. As for matrimony, HA; the mental institution itself could churn out its finest and have them marry and they would lead a more sane life than I would. Not that I would ever think of marrying anyone other than Edward, I just don't see myself marrying. I am not the trustiest of people; and marriage takes all of that. I would have nightmares of a drunken Edward or something, twist my thoughts in some perverted sense of reality, than flip.

I faintly heard the doorbell ring and guessed that Charlie came with my things, so I numbly got off of the stool and pushed open the door to the main room. I saw all of the Cullen's minus Edward, the Hale's, and Charlie in the hallway all laughing at Alice, who was fishing through my things and making ooh's and ah's at my clothes (minus the underwear, of that I was thankful). I saw that Charlie brought over my toiletries bag and let out a whoosh of relief. I crossed the room to get it, but Alice snatched it up before I could get it.

"Uh uh, Bella," She scolded like I was a five-year-old, "I need to see your make-up and deem it acceptable."

Oh God no.

She started to unzip the bag and I couldn't think of any lie or statement to get it out of her hands. I fished for a reason for her to give the damned bag to me and give it to me now, but I came up with nothing minus attacking her.

"Mary Kay cover up," She noted, pulling out the small glass bottle, "Serious Skin Care cover up…Cover Girl cover up…L'Oreal Ivory Concealer… Vitamin K plus bruise control…" I shifted uneasily as the tone of her voice grew somewhat worried, "Ace bandage…band-aids…rubbing alcohol…melted Vaseline…alfalfa tablets with Vitamin K… Bella, these are all for pretty serious bruising." She said, concerned.

"Really?" I asked, my eyes going wide. Alice's eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Oh yeah, like you didn't know that," she said flatly.

"I bruise easily," I shrugged, "but they say it is a good sign of circulatory health, so I'm not complaining." They didn't buy it; those darn suspicious Cullen and Hale kids.

"Don't pry, children," Esme scolded.

"You might as well tell them, Bella," Charlie muttered in his classic "everyone can hear me but I don't know it" tone, "They would probably lay down in traffic for you; what more do you want?"

"Wonderful, dad," I said in a horrified voice, "Now I have to tell them."

"Tell us what?" Rosalie asked innocently. I gave dad a pointed glare like "SEE?!"

I sighed and rubbed my brow with my hand, "I uh, well, I was abused as a kid," I said, "but no harm no foul. It's over." Rosalie, Alice, Emmett, and Jasper looked appalled and horror-struck. I heard a gasp at the top of the stairs, turned, and woe and behold was Edward. Lovely, "Join the party," I muttered.

"It really isn't as bad as you guys are probably thinking," I started to say.

"Bella, don't downplay it," Charlie cut in. I sent a glare his way, "YOU have done enough, dad," I said through my teeth, "I don't want to conflict my friends with it. It is a nonissue."

"Was it really awful, Bella?" Alice asked in a small voice.

"No," I sighed, "I am not going to become some emotional and unstable wreck." I said, although at this point I was more trying to convince myself of that.

"I think I will get on my way," Charlie said uneasily. I shot him a look like "thanks for leaving me with this love-fest". He smiled an impish grin and sauntered out the door. Everyone stayed frozen where they were. I saw Jasper look at Carlisle, no doubt looking for answers, but Carlisle's attention was on Edward. I turned to him and he was locked in some silent discussion with Carlisle. He would nod curtly, and then his eyes would widen and flick to me, than back to Carlisle like "no! Really?! It can't be."

I sighed, "Listen, it was pretty bad for a while," I downplayed A LOT, "but I am really ok now; fit as a fiddle." Everyone seemed to have a hard time grasping this. Alice shot me the first stirrings of pity, and I sent a warning glance her way, "Don't do it, Alice." Her eyes widened in shock.

"Don't do what?" She asked.

"Don't look at me like I am some abused and abandoned puppy lost in the cold, thunderous streets," I said in a tight voice, "I am alright."

"What really happened to your mother, Bella?" Edward asked softly from the top of the stairs. I froze again. His words seemed to have the undeniable ability to pierce every wall of security I put up around my conscious mind. My breathing became ragged and my vision got blurry around the edges. I heard Phil's trudging footsteps up the stairs; I smelled the lavender softener that my sheets gave off in my room as I inhaled sharply out of fear; I felt my eardrums and heart get sliced open by the sound of Renee's screams for mercy; I saw the figure's undistinguishable characteristics of my dreams merge with the all-too familiar characteristics of Phil and become one as Phil took on a ghostly, ghastly form and advance on me in an intoxicated warpath of destruction.

That was when I fainted.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Fire coursed through my nervous system, my skin, though my very being as I thrashed against the thing of my nightmares. The terrifying nightmares plagued my mind, but these were new and improved and seemed to have my own personal hell's stamp of approval over them.

_The friendly figures of my dreams were no match for the growing figure of the Phil-like shadow. His shadowy hands would form into the shape of a serpent, attach themselves to my friends, and slowly suck the life out of them as they became one with the evil figure of the phantom. I dove at his arms, desperately trying to severe the connections, but I might as well have been trying to release a trunk from its branch. I tried to tell the others to flee; leave me behind while they still could. They held their stance defiantly and attacked Phil for all they were worth while he drained our comrades._

_The last one standing took me and forced me behind it. Phil finished the rest and turned on us and I watched in horror as his lips split larger than should have been allowed; the skin of his cheeks seeming to tear to make way for the larger, daunting grin/grimace. He grew to astounding heights and his arms split to five serpents on each hand. _

_My only remaining ally pushed me down just as the ten serpents lunged their ghostly heads at us and I slid to the wall behind us. I looked up in a panic and watched the ten serpents take hold of their prey with a vengeance, twisting my friend's godlike frame as if to get a better view of the soul to be devoured. I ran forward to help my companion, but my friend looked my way and forced a masculine hand in my way and some unseen force rendered me helpless and still. His eyes winced in pain as the first serpent attached to him. His piercing green eyes opened and looked at me in agony._

"_Bella!" It called in a beautiful voice, "Bella! Wake up!" _

My eyes flew open and I think a doctor would have had trouble calculating my completely out of control pulse. I was panting heavily and there were beads of sweat forming on my brow. My frantic eyes looked around the room and it was quite some time before my completely feral senses took in two pairs of anxious eyes.

Edward's hands were on my shoulders and he was regarding me as he would an insane person, and Alice was peering over his shoulder at me with light jade green eyes.

"Bella…?" Alice asked tentatively. I sagged from my tense position with Edward's hands on my shoulders and my head lulled towards my bed as I released my breath in a whoosh. Instead of releasing me as I thought he would, Edward pulled me into a warm, strong, and, dare I say, comforting embrace.

"It is alright, Bella," Edward murmured in my ear, his breath sending shivers down my spine, "It was just a dream."

"No, it was a nightmare," I sighed as I leaned into his hug; _this is like a dream_ I found myself thinking. I caught Alice looking at us with an unfathomable expression, but she masked it over with one of worry quick enough. She hopped onto my bed lithely and sat cross-legged on the other side of me.

"What was it about?" she chirped as Edward pulled away and kneeled on the floor, putting his chin on his clasped hands on the bed and looking up at me. I ran a hand over my positively wild hair and let out a nervous laugh. BLAST! I had some lying to do.

"Not to be inhospitable even though I think I am in your house," I said, looking around the room I was in, "but where am I and what happened?" Ok, so I didn't lie, but I DID misdirect. Alice and Edward shifted rather uneasily and looked at me somewhat sheepishly. 

"You took a pretty nasty spill, Bella," Alice said softly, "You know after you kind of… sort of… well… you know."

"I am afraid I don't," I said, puzzled and cocking my head to the side. Alice shared a startled look with Edward, and Edward lifted his head and leaned closer to me.

"What do you remember?" He asked.

"I remember the fire," Edward winced, "Then… Alice wanted to watch a movie…" I said, irked that it was hard to remember these things, "then I remember I went in the…kitchen…?" it sounded more like a question, "…with Edward… but I can't remember what we said…!" I was less than amused. I found it extremely troublesome that I had memory loss, but for some reason, Edward let out a relieved sigh. I shot him a look and he masked his mysterious relief with a worried frown.

"Then I think Charlie came and," I cut off, remembering with horror that they knew of my secret. I looked at them frantically and Alice gave me a sad smile and an encouraging nod, "and you know about me," I whispered. Brilliant; the only people who I had hoped for an acquaintance from in this piece of "wine country" knew of my past… commence pity stares. I shifted in discomfort at that prospect and eyed them.

"It's alright, Bella," Edward repeated his earlier words; "We won't treat you any different or tell anyone."

"Yeah, Bella," Alice said quickly, "we will go all pack-of-wild-wolves on anyone who tries to get info or anyone who bothers you." I laughed at her earnest eyes and the contrast of her sharp words and little appearance. Edward looked worried again and put a hand to my forehead.

"You're burning up and are having trouble remembering things," He said softly, "we should have Carlisle look at you again."

"My thoughts exactly," Carlisle's calm voice sounded in the doorway. I spooked and nearly whapped Alice in the face with one of my flying feet. She laughed and caught it while easing herself off of the bed. I smiled sheepishly and Carlisle and Esme filed into the room and chuckled softly.

After Carlisle deemed me acceptable there was a slightly awkward silence.

"Bella," Esme said softly, "are you sure you are alright…emotionally?"

I could see where she was coming from. Having your long-lost father's house burn up and all of your darkest past's secrets spring up and say "HELLO!" to everyone you care about didn't add up to "alright" in any sane person's book.

Luckily I wasn't a sane person by any means.

I shrugged, "I am fine."

"You know what fine stands for, right?" Alice asked with a smirk. My brow creased with confusion.

"Freaked out, Insecure, Neurotic and Emotionally unstable," She recited counting off of her fingers. I chuckled at her joke as did everyone else, but her words were pretty much me in a nutshell.

"Well then," I said, "I guess you are LINEN; little, insane, nosy, edgy, and notorious." Everyone laughed and she playfully nudged me.

"Well," Carlisle said as he sobered up, "I think we should let Bella rest, Linen," He stressed Alice's new nickname.

"I refuse to respond to that ridiculous name," She pouted.

"Why should you?" Edward snorted, "Everything else about you is ridiculous." She stuck her tongue out at him but obliged Carlisle and left my room with a "Goodnight". Carlisle and Esme followed suit. Edward stood up and looked hesitant.

"Are you sure you're going to be alright?" He asked.

"I'm fine," I replied automatically, then laughed remembering Alice's joke. He raised a skeptical eyebrow and his hand dropped from the door knob.

"What do you expect to do?" I asked him coyly, half scared half hoping.

"Well," He said uneasily, "I just don't want you to have any more nightmares."

"Sweet thought," I said, "but there is little you can do about them save keep me from sleeping."

"I suppose," Edward said, "and it would probably be improper to keep you up all night…" He trailed off suggestively. I blushed and thanked God for the night to shield my side of the room. He, on the other hand, was in the moonlight that was shed by the window in the room I was staying in and his skin took on a luminescent glow. I had to resist the urge to murmur _you look gorgeous_. THAT would be improper.

"Well then," He said with a sigh, "My room is across the hall from yours, and Alice's is next door to the right. Let me know if you need anything." I noticed how he said "let me know" not "let us know".

"And I do mean ANYTHING, Bella," He said, "don't be afraid to ask."

"'I'll be sure to tell you if I need a glass of water and such," I said sarcastically. He rolled his eyes and left the room quietly. I felt insanely lonely when the door shut. The room was darker without his pale white skin reflecting the night's glow. The room was silent without his breathing and soft whispers to me.

I hated how I noticed how different the room was without him.

I sighed and flopped back in bed, my hair fanning across the pillow. At first I was scared to go back to sleep; as ludicrous as it may sound, those nightmares were terrifying. Then I thought of Edward and how he said he would be right across the hall.

I hated how that made me fall asleep peacefully.

……………………………………………………………………………………….

I woke up to screaming coming from outside. It wasn't the kind of screaming I was particularly familiar with; more like playful squeals and angelic laughter. I sat up and stretched, then padded over to the open window and peered down to a rather hilarious sight on the lawn below.

Emmett, Edward, Jasper, Rose, and Alice were all in bathing suits. Emmett had a struggling Edward in a headlock and Jasper held a hose menacingly in front of Edward. Edward looked at the hose and back at Jasper with wide eyes. Jasper looked over at Alice who was perched by the switch for the hose and nodded his head slowly and dramatically. Alice obediently turned the knob and the water started. Jasper laughed maniacally as the water was directed at them. Edward, however, slipped out of Emmett's grasp at the last second and Emmett took the whole of the water. Rosalie doubled over in laughter as Emmett yelled after getting over the initial shock of being squirted instead of Edward. Edward ran behind Jasper so as not to attract the crazy man's attention again and get squirted.

"Edward!" Emmett boomed while laughing/spluttering, "RUN!"

Jasper seemed to remember Edward's existence and tried to turn around to get him, but Edward jumped on Jasper's back and wrestled the hose out of his hand like he was wrestling a gun from his hands. Little Alice ran towards the two while screaming "CHAAAAAARGE!" and Rosalie and Emmett just couldn't seemed to get enough air around their laughter as Alice jumped on the two fighting boys and tried to get the hose. Water fanned out everywhere as the trio wrestled for the hose and tumbled over each other to get it.

The three ended up getting soaked. I started to laugh and got the attention of five wet teens.

"Come on and join us, Bella," Alice called. I shook my head vehemently.

"I think I will leave the whole 'kill each other' thing to you guys," I answered, "you pull it off so well."

"Don't make me come and get you, Isabella," Edward warned. Is it just me, or did he threaten that a lot? It never ceased to send shivers down my spine when he said it like that, though (especially shirtless, soaking wet, and panting).

"Yeah, Bella," Emmett said, "we wouldn't want you getting attacked by a viciously hormonal and soaked Edward, now would we?"

I actually wouldn't mind that at all.

Edward smacked Emmett over the head and looked back up to the second story window.

"If you don't come out, we will come get you," Edward said.

"Somehow I think Esme might be against having five soaking wet teens thrash around trying to get little ol' me out of the house," I said.

"Carlisle and Esme are in town, Bella," Rosalie said.

"We can be very quick," Alice stated. The five of them gave me devilish smiles. My eyes widened and my pulse quickened as Edward raced inside after telling the others to "seal the exits". I knew I couldn't hide or outrace him, so I decided to take him off guard. I stripped off my clothes and got into a bikini faster than I thought possible. I jumped on the bed and waited in what I hoped was a suggestive and attractive position.

A smile spread across my face as I heard Edward racing up the stairs and right outside the door.

"Oh, please, Bella," He said in a mocking tone right outside the door, "You locked it? I know how to open these doors."

"That is mighty ungentlemanly, Edward," I said in a scolding tone, "To open the door of a lady?"

"And what would you have me do," He called, "Let you miss out on all of the fun? I fear you give me no choice but to drag you out there myself." He added in a husky tone. I heard the faint click of the door lock being plucked open and Edward swooped into the room-

-only to come to a grinding halt.

I watched in satisfaction as his eyes widened to the size of dinner plates and he nearly fell as he screeched to a stop.

"Aren't you going to use those rippling muscles of yours to drag me out there, Mr. Cullen?" I asked softly with a mocking edge to my voice. He opened and closed his mouth a few times as he stood up strait. I pushed up out of my supine position so that I was kneeling on the bed. I devised a plan when I saw the glass of water that was on the table to the far left of the door.

"Well…?" I asked. He looked so unsure I thought I was going to burst out into a fit of giggles right there. I stepped off of the bed slowly and sensually and I saw how his breathing picked up speed. His eyes raked my body in a way that very nearly made me blush. I walked towards him and he backed up uncertainly- part of him wanting to advance on me and part of him wanting to be the gentleman. I advanced on him until his back hit the wall space in between the table and the door. I stopped when my face was mere inches from his chest and I looked up at him through my lashes.

"Truth is, Mr. Cullen, I am a little disappointed," I said in a small voice as I stood on my tip toes to get closer to his face.

"What about, Bella?" He said while desperately trying to breathe.

"Well, I thought we were going to have somewhat of a rough-house, you know?" I said. His eyes darkened and he looked at me with an intensity that made my stomach knot.

"What exactly did you want me to do, Isabella?" He asked me in a husky voice.

"Well, you seemed so… determined and sexy just outside the door, but then you lost your determination when you swooped in here," I explained, making it clear I still found him drop-dead sexy.

"But…" I trialed off.

"But…?" He prompted.

"If you insist on delaying forcing me to go down…" I whispered as I inched closer to him. He inched closer to me too and his gaze flickered from my lips to my face.

"Then what…?" He asked me.

"Then I guess we will just have to…" I trailed off softly again as my hands placed themselves of his chest.

"We will just have to…?" He whispered and he seemed like he was in agony over the space between us. I knew the feeling.

"Than I guess we will just have to douse you with water," I whispered as my hand found the glass and splashed it on him. I bolted from the room and down the stairs before I heard, "BELLA SWAN!"

I ran out of the front door where Alice was evidently patrolling and she yelled, "FINALLY! What were you doing?"

I ignored her and used her as a human shield before Edward came thundering down the staircase.

"What did you do…?" Alice trailed off as a soaking wet…well MORE soaking wet… Edward came out of the front door and zeroed in on me. Alice and I both broke down into laughter as Rose and Emmett came around the side and Jasper followed Edward out of the door.

"What happened?" Rose asked.

"Bella is the sneakiest person on the planet," Edward huffed while crossing his arms.

"Hey, I would have used my powers for good instead of evil if you hadn't threatened to drag me outside," I defended myself. Edward dropped the pouting façade and laughed with the rest of us.

"Alright, alright, you got me," Edward said, "but I'll get you back." He warned. I tried to ignore the thrill I got out of those simple words and laughed with everyone else.

"Ok, guys," Alice said once we all sobered up a little, "we need to figure out how to spend our last day on winter break."

Don't you just love it when you can spend your winter break in a swim suit?

……………………………………………………………………………………..

"Bella!" Alice yelled up the stairs, "Get your very cute butt out here now!"

I almost balked when I looked at my reflection. I had skin-tight pearl white khakis on with knee-high, black patent leather boots on. I had a matching black sport rider jacket on and a skin tight white turtle neck underneath. Although the outfit left little skin showing, it also left little to the imagination. The pants and turtle neck were so skin tight they were almost spandex. My hair was pulled into a high ponytail and fell to my mid back due to its length.

This is what Alice deemed acceptable for riding horses.

I peeked out the top of the stairs to see the rest of the Cullen's and Hale's looking like something out of the most expensive pages in a Polo magazine. I descended the stairs and attempted not to blush as I felt all of their eyes on me.

"You look great, Bella," Emmett said without a hint of humor for once, "what was all the fuss about?" For some reason, his blatant confusion reassured me; I didn't have anything to worry about.

That is, I had nothing to worry about until I caught a swift look of hunger seize Edward's features. When I looked at him fully, though, he masked it and left me wondering if I hadn't imagined it. He smiled another gorgeous smile and said, "Shall we?"

"Yes, yes," Alice said impatiently heading for the door, "Sonoma Valley Regional Park isn't going to wait forever."

"They will due to your reservations, Alice," Rose reasoned as she tightened her thigh-high chaps over her narrow leather riding shoes. The first stirrings of excitement rippled through me as we all filed outside towards the cars. I used to ride twice a week in Phoenix and was rather good at it. Horseback riding was one of Renee's early phases to get us away from Phil. When she moved onto pottery classes, however, I stayed with horseback riding and learned to love it.

I snapped out of my reverie as Alice led us to a large conversion van.

"What's with the van?" I asked with a confused frown.

"Did you think you were going to travel with us in Edward's Volvo for three hours?" Rose asked. Edward let out a muffled protest that sounded something like "I resent that".

Alice ignored him though, and continued on buoyantly singing, "Yeah, Bella, we are travelin' in styyyyle."

I laughed and dutifully followed the rest of them into the van. Rose and Emmett were in the last bench, Jasper and Alice in the captain's seats in the middle, and Edward was driving with me in the passenger seat. Alice wasn't joking when she said we were traveling in style. Edward, Jasper, Alice and my captain seats were all bucket seats that resembled something out of a race car. The back bench had two wide seats and was a matching off-white with black trim. The wide windows had black trim and off-white curtains that matched the black paneled compartments above the windows.

I looked around appreciatively before looking out the window back to the house. It truly was gorgeous.

"Ready? Ready? Ready?" Alice said as she made the van move she was bouncing so much. I laughed at her exuberance and Edward chuckled as he started the engine.

"Get ready for Numa Numa," Edward warned me. I looked at him in confusion as Alice swirled to the front consol and messed with the radio as Edward pulled onto the Cullen's long driveway with an amused smile on his face.

The familiar beat filled the van and I burst out into hysterics as Dragostea din tei by O-Zone started. I turned around and went on the verge of tears as Alice and Emmett sang it in perfect Romanian and did the Numa Numa dance.

Ma-ia-hii  
Ma-ia-huu  
Ma-ia-haa  
Ma-ia-hoo  
Ma-ia-haha

Rosalie, Jasper, Edward and I all laughed as Alice and Emmett sang at the top of their lungs.

Alo, Salut, sunt eu, un haiduc,  
Si te rog, iubirea mea, primeste fericirea.  
Alo, alo, sunt eu Picasso,  
Ti-am dat beep, si sunt voinic,  
Dar sa stii nu-ti cer nimic.

"Since when do you know Romanian?" I yelled over the blasting music.

"I don't!" Alice screeched, "Only this song!"

"And the dance!" Emmett added.

Vrei sa pleci dar nu ma, nu ma iei,  
Nu ma, nu ma iei, nu ma, nu ma, nu ma iei.  
Chipul tau si dragostea din tei,  
Mi-amintesc de ochii tai.

I had tears rolling down my face as Emmett was singing to Jasper like he would a lover.

Te sun, sa-ti spun, ce simt acum,  
Alo, iubirea mea, sunt eu, fericirea.  
Alo, alo, sunt iarasi eu, Picasso,  
Ti-am dat beep, si sunt voinic,  
Dar sa stii nu-ti cer nimic.

Jasper didn't know if he should be laughing uncontrollably or scrambling away from Emmett as Emmett belted out the lyrics and serenaded Jasper. Alice unstrapped her seatbelt, stood up, put her hands on either side of the van, and shook her hips wildly and violently in time with the beat. Rosalie followed suit and Emmett stopped serenading Jasper and the two of them looked at Alice and Rosalie mouths agape. Edward had to pull over he was laughing so hard. We weren't even on the highway!

"Why don't you join them, Bella?" Edward joked.

"Want a show?" I yelled over the song. He laughed for a second, then stopped abruptly and looked at me the same way he did this morning.

"Besides, I don't think there is enough room and I would hate to get in the way of Emmett and Jasper's ogling," I said, looking pointedly at the glazed-over expressions of the two hormonal teens. Edward rolled his eyes.

The Romanian song came to an end and Kelly Clarkson's My Life Would Suck Without You came on, giving Edward enough time to sober up and drive. He kept driving valiantly while Emmett returned to serenading Jasper. Jasper put a hand over his chest modestly and looked at Emmett through his batting eyelashes. The girls and I lost it again as Jasper and Emmett sang together at the top of their lungs. Rose and Alice started to do seat dancing while watching the show and I just turned around in the seat and watched the road.

I started to sing along to the chorus:

Cuz we belong together now  
Forever united here somehow  
you got a piece of me  
and honestly  
my life would suck without you

I stopped short as I realized the meaning of the lyrics. Minus the whole couple thing, my life probably would have sucked in Oakville without the Cullen's and Hale's. I looked over at Edward and he was smiling out at the road, stealing looks in the rear view mirrors as the rest of them flipped out back there. He would also occasionally look at me when parts of the song came on like "you got a piece of me" or "I found out I'm nothing without you".

I desperately wanted to put a lid on the emotions that would flow through me when he looked at me like that. I would constantly chant things like "he wouldn't want you that way" or "just wait until I am just as well known as the rest of this God-forsaken town."

Who knew that a small town could be my worst nightmare?

My head fell into my hands as a very fitting song came on the next track on Alice's mix- Untouched by the Veronicas. How ironic?

Rosalie and Alice took the reins of this song and belted it out there just as loud as the blaring speakers. They even danced to the strobe beat. Jasper leaned his seat back and contently watched Alice sing to him and Emmett watched Rosalie with appraising eyes.

My nails dug into my palms as I screamed at myself to stop listening to the lyrics and to stop trying to apply them to my non-relationship with Edward.

I wanna wanna wanna get get get what I want  
Don't stop  
Give me give me give me what you got got  
Cause I can't wait wait wait any more more more more  
Don't even talk about the consequence  
Cause right now you're the only thing that's making any sense to me

_Don't go there, Swan, _I warned myself.

And I don't give a damn what they say, what they think think  
Cause you're the only one who's on my mind  
I'll never ever let you leave me  
I'll try to stop time for ever, never wanna hear you say goodbye (bye bye bye)

_I swear, Bella, stop thinking about it, _one side argued, _but the speakers are practically screaming to me about my current situation!_ The other side would protest.

I feel so untouched  
And I want you so much  
That I just can't resist you  
It's not enough to say that I miss you  
I feel so untouched right now  
Need you so much somehow  
I can't forget you  
Been going crazy from the moment I met you

_You are way past "going crazy", Swan,_ I thought grimly. Why does this song have to be four freaking minutes long?!

I let out a whoosh of air as the song finally finished. Jerk it Out by the Caesars came on. Ok, there is no way to apply this song to me. Whew.

"Hey, Bella?" Alice called.

"Yeah, Alice?" I answered.

"Would you put on the last song again? I swear I am addicted to it and need to get it out of my system," she started but I cut her off with a sharp, "NO." Everyone looked at me oddly.

"No!" Alice gasped, "You don't like that song?!" _I find it incredibly and irritably fitting. _I thought savagely. I smiled an impish grin and shook my head minutely. Alice's eyes went wide and her mouth agape, "How could you not like that song?!"

"Maybe because it is sung by two sexually frustrated, whiny teenage girls?" Edward offered, "Anyways, how about we listen to something we all want to listen to?" We settled on Shake It by Metro Station (even though that is another song sung by another group of sexually frustrated teens…). Jasper took it and sang to Alice while Emmett sang the background lyrics.

It was freaking hilarious.

After another hour of karaoke and we had to make a pit stop for gas, bathroom breaks, food, etc. We stopped at a cozy little rest area off of the highway and I walked around the car to meet Edward as he filled the car up. Alice and Rosalie went to the restrooms as Emmett and Jasper dutifully went to the store to buy nearly all of its food content.

"You ok, Bella?" Edward asked as he leaned up against the car.

"Of course I am, why?" I asked. He shrugged.

"You seem a little… tense?" He said. He was probably referring to how I nearly clawed my way out of the van when the Veronicas were screaming the feelings I was desperately trying to bury in feet of self-denial and mistrust.

"Eh, I haven't gone horseback riding in a while," I lied, "And especially not on a horse I don't know. I don't want any slings or braces my first day tomorrow." I winked and laughed. He joined in, then looked over my shoulder and burst out into wild laughter. I turned and came to one of the weirdest, albeit expected, sites in the world.

Emmett and Jasper were hauling back armfuls of food, and then some. It looked like some cartoon turned reality the way the large stacks of food swung precariously; looking like a slinky swaying from side to side as Jasper and Emmett danced under the tower to balance it.

They made their way unsteadily to us and Edward and I were collapsing against each other in fits of laughter. Alice and Rosalie heard us and walked around the van and nearly ran into Emmett, Jasper and their Twin Towers of food.

"Alice, help!" Jasper said as his tower started to fall. Alice leaped towards him and went on her tip toes to reach as high up she could and supported the stack with her hands.

"Jasper!" Alice said, "Why didn't you get a cart or something?"

"We thought we didn't need it?" Jasper said meekly around the pile. Edward finished filling up and put the container away and helped the rest of us pile the piles into the car. We ended up throwing the bags of food in the back were space was for luggage.

Only with the Cullen's and Hale's would we need that luggage space for mountains of food.

"Ok," Rosalie said, "Now that we have enough food to feed Noah's Ark," She stressed, looking pointedly to the food the reached the ceiling in the back, "How about we get on our merry way?"

"I sure hope you didn't get anything that needs refrigeration, Emmett and Jazz," Alice said, "We are nearly there."

"Oh please, Alice," Emmett snorted, "don't take us to be such newbs at traveling. We know how to shop for food." He and Jasper punched fists and shared a masculine "hoo-rah!"

The next ten minutes consisted of Rose and Emmett passing out food and eating. I settled on having one half of a Phillie cheese steak sub so I wouldn't feel bulbous when prancing around on a horse.

"If you stain your outfits, I will hunt you down," Alice warned after taking a bit of her Italian sub. Everyone grunted a response but otherwise ignored the threat- nobody was stupid enough to mess with Alice's outfits. They are like her children.

Almost as soon as David Cook's Light On ended, we pulled into the drive of Sonoma Valley Regional Park. We were going to take a ride through Armstrong Woods, evidently. Edward parked outside of the lodge-looking lobby and we all filed out. Alice fretted over our outfits until she deemed them acceptable.

"Whew," She said, "I am glad I starched them enough so they wouldn't wrinkle."

"Yes," I said in mock horror, "heaven forbid we should ride horses and not look ready for a photo shoot."

She rolled her eyes and we followed her and Jasper into the lobby. Alice strode confidently up to the receptionist and said, "Reservation for the Cullen's?"

"Oh, yes," The woman behind the desk said, eyeing Emmett, Jasper, and Edward longer than necessary, "Thank you for being so prompt Ms. Cullen. Right this way." She walked around the counter and out the doors. We followed her to a stable some thirty yards away.

"My name is Fifi," She called over her shoulder as she led us through the stable doors, "May I know your names?" She practically purred to Edward. I couldn't understand it- why would she target one guy? Oh yeah, probably because ever since Fifi had eyed the boys, Alice and Rose had staked their claims; Jasper had his arm in a vise around a giggling Alice's waist and Emmett had his arms laced through Rose's and Rose went on her tip toes to plant light kisses on his nose, lips, and cheeks.

So I guess that left Edward; poor guy.

"My name is Edward," he said curtly, "and this is Alice, Rosalie, Jasper, Emmett, and Bella." he said while gesturing to the respective person. He could've spoken the last part of that sentence in Portuguese, however, because Fifi was too busy repeating his name softly.

"It is a beautiful name," She said huskily. Edward was unfazed and said "Yes, I have always loved the name Bella," while looking at me with a wink, indicating that was the last name he said. Everyone laughed and I put a modest hand on his chest, "Why, Fifi, it is so soon!"

Fifi flushed and looked around the neat, quaint stable nervously.

"Right," She shrugged off, "Well, these are the horses. Would you like us to groom and tackle them?"

"Tackle them?" Rose asked bewildered.

"She means put a bridle and saddle on, Rose," I said while laughing. Her face straitened with realization and she laughed.

"THAT created a visual, sorry," Rose said.

"It would be very nice of your people to do that, Fifi," Alice said politely.

"Wait," I interrupted, "Would you mind if I did my horse?" I asked her.

"Not at all, Bella," She replied icily, probably seeing me as competition. She took my arm and led me to a horse's stable. I eased my arm out of her grip, but she didn't notice as she led me to a beautiful mare. She was pure white Arabian; the only black on her was the thick black eyelashes that framed equally black, luminescent eyes. I looked at the nameplate and read "Querida".

"She should be perfect for you," She sneered, but I couldn't place why she thought that this is a bad thing.

"She is gorgeous," I said, "Thanks; you can go and show the others their horses now." I turned back to the lovely mare that was looking at me through huge black orbs. I heard Fifi leave gruffly and shut the stall door.

I understood why Fifi thought it was a bad thing the moment I took a slow step towards the mare, though.

She whinnied loudly in protest and backed up as much as she could away from me. I muttered unintelligibly under my breath once then looked back to the mare. Curse Fifi! Seriously, she has a dog's name and has a beef with me? I loved this animal already, though, so I decided to stick with her and try to get her to warm up to me.

I remembered an abused then saved horse that I first rode when learning and everyone was rather surprised that the gelding liked me: well, I could relate to the animal, couldn't I?

I eased my way to her and spoke soft, calming words. I truly believe that some animals can decipher a person's true intentions sometimes. My soft words took effect on her nervous stance and she eased off of the wall some. I got close enough to where I could see myself reflecting her large, sober eyes as she assessed me. I raised a hand painstakingly slowly and reached for her, waiting for her to take the step closer to me. It was probably a good minute before Querida took a hesitant step to me and nudged me hand. A huge grin broke out across my face as I stepped closer to her and patted her with my gloved hands.

I looked at her water and found it empty, so I stepped carefully around her and went outside to grab a bottle of water. I stepped back inside the stall and emptied a rather large bottle into Querida's bowl. She slurped it down gratefully while I grabbed some grooming supplies from the tack room and put it just outside her stall. When she was done I hooked a lead rope onto her bridle and led her out into the hall.

I hooked her bridle up to the wall and hung the lead rope on the hook on the wall and made sure a hand was on Querida at all times so that I wouldn't spook her while I groomed and tacked her up. She looked gorgeous in an expensive-looking English saddle and bridle. I led her out to the pasture to wait for the others and grabbed a helmet on the way out.

Edward was out there on a black stallion that was giving him some trouble. Edward looked like a knight training his horse as he masterfully put the horse in its place. He would tighten the reins or whack the crop against the saddle at the right times to get the horse's attention and would twist it in tight circles to let the horse know that he was boss.

"Well done," I said as I jumped up onto Querida. Edward was smiling down at the horse that he triumphed over.

"Yeah," He said while rubbing its flanks, "He is a very handsome animal; just needed some manners. His name is Dario, how dashing." He looked up at me, but his smile slipped from his face and was replaced with a horrified look as he saw Querida.

"Bella," He whispered, seemingly frozen on Dario, "Why did you get Querida?"

"I don't know, Fifi led me to her," I said with a confused frown. Edward looked positively petrified.

"Listen to me, Bella," He said in a strained whisper, "You need to dismount the horse as quickly and calmly as possible so that it won't buck."

"Querida is a sweetheart, Edward," I said, still confused. Sure, she was hesitant at first, but she is fine now.

"Sweetheart?!" He said disbelievingly, "Bella, we are regulars here, and we have seen Querida and she can be worse than Dario and most of the time is."

"Edward, she is fine," I said flatly, "look!" I said excitedly as I tapped her flanks and broke out into a canter then gallop across the pasture.

"Bella!" Edward's worried call barely hit me. I was in the zone with Querida. She wasn't even panting, but she practically flew across the earth beneath us. I crouched closer to her body and I could practically feel each trickle of adrenaline shoot through me and through the reins and my legs and into Querida. We circled around the large gated pasture to see Edward again.

Once we were about forty yards from Edward, I slowed her down into a canter; then trotted the last ten yards.

"See?" I said smugly to an appalled Edward.

"She is positively lovely," I gushed, combing her silky mane with my fingers. By this time, Alice and Emmett trotted out to meet us. Emmett had a huge burgundy Clydesdale underneath him to support his massive frame and Alice had a paint pony to suit her size; the difference was comical. They were both staring at me the same way Edward was.

"Oh my gosh, Bella," Alice breathed, "How are you not dead?"

"I don't know what you guys are so up tight about;" I said nonchalantly, "Querida is wonderful."

"What's all the fuss about?" Rosalie called as she walked gracefully out on a chestnut gelding followed by Jasper on an American quarter horse.

"Bella mastered Querida," Emmett said, eyes wide. I rolled my eyes when Rose and Jasper's eyes snapped to my horse and me simultaneously.

"There was no 'mastering' needed," I pointed out, "She was hesitant at first, but she came around when I started talking to her and gave her water."

"Did you groom her?!" Jasper asked. I nodded.

"You picked her hooves clean, too?" He asked in disbelief. I nodded again.

"Why?" I asked.

"Well," Edward said, "The last person we saw try to pick her hooves was a professional groomsman and he got his face flattened from a kick."

"Oh my goodness!" I exclaimed, "Was he alright!?"

"After a few weeks in the hospital and some reconstructive surgery, yes," He answered.

"Well," I said with a shrug, "Querida was ok with me."

"That bitch," Rose fumed. We all looked at her in alarm.

"Not the horse!" She corrected quickly, "Fifi; she had to think that Querida was going to flip out on Bella and gave her to Bella purposefully." I thought about it and nodded.

"Highly probable," I agreed, "but it is of little matter. Let's go on this trail or whatever it is that we are doing."

We all cantered down the Pasture to the wooded area and filed on the trail, keeping distance in between us so as not to scare the horses. The trees that towered over us for about sixty feet gave us more than adequate shade and would open up to reveal clearings every now and then that spanned from fifty by fifty feet, to six hundred by six hundred yards in length and width. We would gallop across these pastures to the other side or around it for a while, then we would all file back into the woods to continue our path.

Rose's horse, Adriana, wasn't very fast, but she was beautiful. Rose probably didn't care much about speed, just beauty. Cowboy's Revenge was Emmett's horse and he often took the rear because he was so massive and none of us could see around him at all. Jasper rode Outlaw, who was the most obedient, but not the fastest or bravest. He could spook easy, but Jasper could luckily tame him before our other horses reacted too much. I found it funny how Jasper rode a horse named Outlaw and Alice a pony named Bandit. We called them partners in crime- Bandit a fearless little thing and Outlaw having the appearance of a fearless horse. After about six miles of woods, waterfalls, lakes, pastures, etc, we were all exhausted and happy to reach the stable again.

Well, at least the Hale's and Cullen's were. I would have happily stayed there all day or all week. It made me slightly depressed to have to leave Querida.

I wanted to wash the horses, but the stable hands said that they would after Alice threw a fit over "the prospect of dirtying my outfit further".

"It's a pretty lost cause, Alice, but ok," I said with a shrug. We all filed into the van again and Rose said, "So, onward to home?" Edward nodded as he put the car in drive. I took one last look over my shoulder as we rounded the corner, then the little lodge vanished in a sheet of trees.

"WE ARE SO LISTENING TO THE NUMA NUMAN ENGLISH VERSION!" Alice squealed as she took over the radio again.

Leave it to Alice to travel three hours, ride a horse for miles, and STILL have enough energy to belt out lyrics and dance to them for another three hour commute.

**A/N: Sorry about the freaking long hiatus, but things have been hectic. I made you an extra long chappie as a consolation. I hope you enjoyed it! R&R**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

We all practically fell out of the van when we pulled into the Cullen drive after dropping off the Hale's. It was funny to see a drowsy Emmett carry in a completely zonked out Alice. She evidently had two modes, on and off; no middle ground.

Jasper wanted to be the one to carry her in, but Edward said that he couldn't get out of the car then get back in it to give Jasper and Rose a ride home and since it was a school night he couldn't sleepover. I looked over to him and he was rubbing his eyes awake.

"Valiant driving, Edward," I chuckled. He smiled a content, tired smile as we stepped inside. Carlisle and Esme were lounging in the living room, Esme watching the Cooking Network and Carlisle bent over a book.

"Hello dears," Esme called cheerily, "How were your rides?"

"It was great, mom," Emmett called from the next room going up the stairs to deposit Alice in her bed. She wasn't going to be happy about falling asleep in her clothes and before she showered, but I am going to take a stab and guess she would be even angrier if Emmett showered and dressed her…

"Yeah, mom," Edward said, "Bella actually groomed, tacked, and rode Querida."

Both of their eyes went wide like the others' did upon learning this and they appraised me.

"Have you ridden before?" Carlisle asked me.

"I used to," I admitted.

"Wow, Bella," Esme said, "Querida generally makes her riders the queried." She and Carlisle chuckled at memories. I shrugged as I headed out of the room and up the stairs.

"Have you noticed that you guys always come home exhausted?" Carlisle asked Edward, bemused.

"Goodnight," I called and got various versions of goodnight in reply. I almost ran into Emmett as he came out of Alice's room and shut the door quietly.

"Night there, Bells," He said quietly as he retreated into his room.

"'Night" I called softly. I headed into my room and showered using my favorite strawberry shampoo. I looked at the clothes that I had once to see if I wanted to pick something out to wear for my first day tomorrow.

I cringed when I thought of my first day tomorrow. If the people at school were anything like who I saw around town, than I have one word to describe tomorrow: grossness.

They are either going to be A. over-the-top flirty or B. insanely and unnecessarily jealous of me. I flopped on the bed and let out a long sigh.

And then I thought of how stupid I was acting.

Here I was, pretty damn lucky to be alive, and I was worried about the first day of some stupid high school. As if I couldn't fend for myself! As if I couldn't talk someone into a box if they "tried me". So, I shut my eyes with a "bring it on, fool" attitude and slept pretty soundly, dreaming of green-eyed male angels that are just out of my reach.

…………………………………………………………………………

If you asked me how I slept before seven thirty in the morning, I would have answered "very soundly and peacefully, thanks."

If you asked me how I slept at seven thirty-one, however, I would have yelled, "how would YOU have slept if you woke up to a pixie dive-bombing you to wake up!?"

"ISABELLA SWAAAAAN," Alice quite literally sang on top of my covers.

"Oh my God, Alice," I said in a deadly whisper, "if you do not dismount me I will be forced to kill you."

She snorted but obeyed and hopped onto the floor.

"Come on, Bella," She whined, "aren't you the least bit excited about your first day?"

"Not really," I mumbled, "but I will be exceedingly excited about your giddy departure out of my room."

"Bella, GET UP," she said flatly, "Oh, and by the way, I took the liberty of getting you some suitable first-day-of-school outfit. The ones your dad brought simply weren't good enough."

Fear clutched my chest as I thought of what she had in mind. I flipped the covers that I had used to shield my eyes and looked at Alice worriedly.

"Alice," I said warily, "what did you pick out, exactly?"

"Nothing too awful, Bella," Alice said while rolling her eyes. She took a hanger and showed me a day dress that came to the knees and leggings. The dress had a square neckline and was sleeveless. It had a one-inch band of sequence on the neckline and hem and had a funky pattern on it with a sort of camouflaged mix of purples, greens, whites and blacks. It looked pretty stellar.

"Wow, Alice," I said with raised eyebrows, "I like it."

"She says surprised," Alice huffed, "and, seeing how you couldn't wear high heels even if it was allowed in school, I got some black ballet flats for you. Now up and at 'ems, change, and get down stairs to eat," She said and left in a flourish. I did as she told me to and dressed. I slid downstairs and walked into the kitchen where Emmett was hunched over a bowl of cereal and Edward was making pancakes. He looked over at me and smiled as he scanned the outfit.

"Alice," He said in confirmation and nodded, turning back to the stove.

"And what about your lovely 'kiss the cook' apron?" I asked while giggling.

"Hey, there is basically no other reward in this house for cooking for someone like Emmett," He shrugged with an unabashed grin, "and yes, that was Alice's doing. It was this or one with a cow print and utters." I burst out into fits of giggles.

"Would you like some pancakes?" He asked pleasantly.

"This is a bed and breakfast, aye? Yes please, Chef Edward," I joked.

"Hey, that is Mr. Chef Edward to you ma'am," He corrected pointing a spatula at me.

"Hurry up with the pancakes Mr. Chef Edward," Emmett called from the kitchen table.

"You are going to have pancakes as well as God knows what else you have eaten for breakfast already?" I asked incredulously to Emmett.

"Yeah," He answered simply. I shrugged; a truck's gotta eat what a truck's gotta eat I suppose. Alice danced into the room and started to make lunches.

"So why are you up?" I asked, "You don't go to high school right?"

Emmett laughed, "No, I don't go to high school Bella. I run a car body shop in town with Rose.

"Impressive," I complimented.

"Well thank you for your approval," He joked.

"Do you need help, Alice?" I asked her. She gave me a knowing smile for my need to do something and nodded.

"You can help me make the sandwiches," She said.

"Not to ask a stupid question, but why do you make all of the lunches?" I asked.

"Edward and Emmett never pack enough for themselves and Emmett ends up almost eating a table and Edward a poor freshman after lunch because they are so hungry," She shrugged.

"I didn't know I was in the midst of monsters," I laughed.

"Oh, you have no idea," Edward joked from the stove as he plopped three golden pancakes on Emmett's plate. Edward slid the plate in front of Emmett and I watched in half horror, half awe as Emmett practically inhaled the pancakes.

"Those unfortunate pancakes never stood a chance," I said solemnly shaking my head as I made a ham sandwich. Alice laughed a chiming laugh as Emmett stuck his tongue out at me. Emmett got up and put his dish in the sink to the right of the stove. He leaned over and, much to everyone else's surprise, pecked Edward on the cheek. Edward rocketed to his left and into a wall as he recoiled from Emmett like he was fire. Spatula in hand, Edward clutched his chest out of surprise.

"What the fuck was that, Emmett?!" Edward asked as he stared at Emmett in disbelief.

"Courtesy of your apron," Emmett snickered and boomed a laugh as Alice and I sank to the floor laughing. Edward damped a dish towel and vigorously scrubbed his cheek as he muttered, "that is the last time I cook for you, Emmett."

"Aw," Emmett whined, "Don't be like that, Mr. Chef Edward! You said yourself that you didn't get enough appreciation, I was just paying my dues!" A few laughs snuck through Emmett's pleading façade as he said this, earning a scowl from Edward.

"Har har," Edward said, "In the future, do that again and you get a spatula to the face."

Alice and I managed to recover and finished up the lunches as Edward fumed over the stove finishing breakfast. Edward slid a couple of plates in my and Alice's direction and Alice passed me a fork and syrup. Edward sat down after finishing his and we ate in silence as Emmett got his stuff together in his room upstairs.

Alice finished hers and left the room to add "finishing touches" to her hair and make-up. She wanted to apply some to me, but I refused and settled her with a "maybe later". Edward finished around the same time as me and I swiped his plate from in front of his and headed over to the sink to wash it off.

"Um, thanks," Edward said surprised.

"Consider it a thank you for breakfast," I said, "Seeing how I don't think I will be able to follow Emmett's act with quite the same amount of finesse." I added with a snicker.

"I think you could pull it off," He said nonchalantly.

"I don't know," I said as I plopped the dishes into the dishwasher and turned him, "He gave us quite a show."

"What a shame," He said.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"The only action I get out of that apron is from Emmett…" He muttered with a playful smile.

"Well I guess we can't have that," I said boldly and, without thinking, stepped closer to him, clutched his shirt, and kissed his cheek near the corner of his lips. Still holding the front of his shirt in my hands, I leaned back and looked at him with a smile.

"Thank you, Mr. Chef Cullen," I whispered as I watched his surprised eyes try to decipher what just happened.

"Anytime," He said rather hoarsely.

"Bella!" Alice's voice called from the top of the staircase in the other room, "I want to do your makeup!"

I rolled my eyes and left a rather stunned Edward in the kitchen and headed for the stairs.

Thirty minutes later Alice, Edward and I piled into Edward's Volvo and headed to school.

"Do you always drive your siblings around?" I asked him. He, having recovered from the surprise in the kitchen earlier, laughed and replied with, "they are lazy, what can ya do?"

Alice laughed in response.

"Please, Edward," Alice scoffed, "As if you didn't want to drive your 'baby' to and from school every day." Edward only grinned in response as he rubbed the steering wheel. The look of utter bliss on his face momentarily staggered me in its beauty. I shook myself out of my fog and looked out the window safely the rest of the ride.

We pulled into the parking lot and Edward eased into a parking space. I slid down in my seat some to avoid the curious stares and groaned slightly. Edward leaned over as Alice got out gracefully.

"It'll be fine, Bella," Edward breathed. I looked at him and he was inches from my face with a more than gorgeous smile on his face. My breathing hitched as I looked into his liquid emerald eyes.

"I… we will protect you," Edward corrected himself with a wider smile. He sat upright and stepped out of the car. I stayed in the car, trying to buy time. Either Edward was being a gentleman or he was trying to get me out of the car (or both), but he opened the door and extending his hand.

"Milady," He acknowledged with a mock bow. I quirked an eyebrow and took his hand and pulled myself out. I ignored the jolt I got out of the contact of his hand and looked around the lot towards the school. It was a pretty good sized school with department buildings connected by outdoor pathways.

Edward, seemingly reluctant, released my hand and offered to show me to the office to get my schedule. I obliged and we set towards the smallest, closest building that had a number one on its side. Edward held the door open for me and I smiled at him as we walked inside the tiny-ish room. There was a line of about five maroon chairs to the right and to the left was a showcase of some art from the art class. We walked to the counter and waited behind a girl with brown curly hair who was leaning over the counter with her bottom sticking out towards us.

"Yes," She nodded at the woman behind the desk, "that is E-d-w-a-r-d C-u-l-l-e-n. How could you not know how to spell that?"

I cocked my head to one side, confused, but Edward didn't seem to notice as he plucked a brochure for the school from on of the shelves attached to the wall. He thumbed through it with an amused expression, though I got the impression that he wasn't reading it all that much. Maybe he was looking at the pictures or something.

"I am sorry dear," the receptionist said, "but it is against school policy for a student to switch into another student's class solely for the reasons you gave us…" she said with a worried frown at information on her computer.

"But he said that he would tutor me," the girl replied impatiently, "and you cannot stand in the way of someone who wants to help me with my grades."

I raised my eyebrows at her claim; didn't Edward say that he didn't really talk to people much at all? I found myself thinking the girl either had some serious stalker issues or Edward hadn't exactly been truthful.

"You aren't the first one to give us this explanation," the receptionist replied flatly.

"Listen," the girl said testily, "we both know that I am not the only girl with this request, but this is not for the reason of ogling at him! I need him as a tutor!"

The receptionist sighed, typed a few things into the computer and started to print something. Edward took the paper and put it in an inside pocket of his jacket and looked up as the woman behind the desk handed the girl the paper.

"Here you go, Jessica," the woman said tiredly, "you have all classes with Edward Cullen now."

Edward's head snapped in there direction and stared at the piece of paper that Jessica was bouncing for and eagerly awaiting as if it were a snake.

"Excuse me, Ms. Cope?" Edward asked pleasantly, but I saw how he masked his horrified expression. Ok, I figured I could rule out him being untruthful; he just had creepy stalkers.

Jessica stopped bouncing and froze at his voice. She whirled and looked at Edward with huge brown eyes.

"Edward!" She shrilled, "You're here," she sighed somewhat dreamily. Edward almost flinched at her tone, but kept his eyes on Ms. Cope.

"Oh," Ms. Cope said, "I was just filling out your request to have Ms. Stanley in all of your classes."

"I am sorry?" Edward asked, puzzled. Jessica turned at least three shades of red and maybe even a little purple. I felt sorry for the girl- she was caught.

"I'll just be taking that paper, Ms. Cope…?" Jessica said, desperately trying to grab and run.

"All of my classes; whatever for?" Edward asked with a pleasant quirk of the head and furrow of the brow. Ms. Cope raised her eyebrows at Jessica and turned back to Edward.

"Jessica said you agreed to tutor her," Ms. Cope said.

"I am afraid there has been a mistake, Ms. Cope," Edward said with a shrug, "I haven't had the pleasure of talking to Jessica for a very long time." He replied. I winced. Not the brightest thing to say if he wants to AVOID her; it's the most kind and gentlemanly thing to say, but not the most strategic. Jessica's eyes brightened a little at his statement, and then were downcast at having been caught.

Ms. Cope took the paper with Jessica's new schedule and tore it in half. Jessica literally screamed in protest as she looked longingly at the fragments falling into the shredder. Edward and I both flinched.

"Go to your original classes, Jessica," Ms. Cope replied flatly. Jessica stormed out of the room, but not before giving Edward a flirtatious smile and a wink. He smiled politely but otherwise ignored her. He strode up to the counter with me in tow.

"Good morning, Ms. Cope," Edward said and I noted how Ms. Cope's eyes widened a little. I also noted that Edward was putting a little more fervor and silk into his voice than usual, so I knew he was up to something.

"Yes it is, Edward," She nearly breathed, "How may I help you?"

"I would like to get the schedule for a Miss Bella Swan, here," He said, gesturing to me and pulling me up to the counter. Ms. Cope looked at me somewhat puzzled and seemed to try to shake the fog that Edward had put her under. I knew the feeling, but my God, at least I was his age!

"Oh," She spluttered, "No problem." She sat at the computer and started typing and clicking away to pull up my information. I looked at Edward and quirked a brow when he winked at me with a devious grin. I was almost going to ask him what he was up to when Ms. Cope printed a small slip of paper and handed it to me. Edward swiftly took it before I could and he studied it with a worried frown.

He started to shake his head, "I am afraid this won't due, Ms. Cope."

"It won't?" I asked surprised as Ms. Cope's eyebrows shot upwards. Edward looked at Ms. Cope with a look that would make even the most prudish of women drag him into a closet and jump his bones. I had to clutch the counter harder to prevent from swooning. I felt sorry for Ms. Cope for she was who he used this on- albeit a little envious.

"I told Bella that I would show her around," Edward explained in a voice like honey as Ms. Cope's eyes glazed over, "but my classes won't allow me to do that if they conflict with hers like this. Is there a way you can help me, Ms. Cope?"

"Y-yes Edward," She stuttered and sat robotically at her computer and started making changes. Edward relaxed with a satisfied smirk against the counter and looked at me. I closed my mouth when I realized my lips had parted and shook myself out of the stupor he put me in. How did he DO that!? I stared at a student's artwork across the room so as not to fling myself at Edward for all I am worth. I heard him chuckle a low throaty laugh and I tried not to blush.

"He-here you go, Edward," She said, completely ignoring me. Edward took the paper, scanned it with a grin, and then kissed Ms. Cope's hand.

"Ah, this will do wonderfully," Edward said, "Thank you Ms. Cope and I bid you adieu." He took my hand and marched out of the office.

"What was that all about?" I asked after I breathed in the fresh outdoor air that cleared my head.

"What, do you mean changing your classes to match mine?" Edward asked. I rolled my eyes.

"That or practically seducing poor Ms. Cope," I said sarcastically. He gave a shameless grin while walking to building five, because that was evidently where my first class was. I noticed he didn't let go of my hand and I also noticed that I really liked having it there. He seemed to realize he still had my hand and eyed his hand that was encased around mine. He stopped while holding it still and looked at me with an impish smile. He released my hand, much to my unwanted dismay.

"Are you intending on holding my schedule hostage?" I asked him to prevent an awkward silence. He smiled a crooked smile that made my heart stutter.

"What are you willing to do to get it?" He asked me.

"I'll let you lead me around blindly all day if you want," I said nonchalantly, "but I would like to know what sort of class to…look forward to…"

He laughed at my hesitant face and handed me the slip of paper. I scanned it and found my classes to be Calculus, English, Biology, and Art. I wasn't excessively happy about math and biology, but I liked the thought of English and Art. I had probably already read the books we were going to cover in English, and I like to experiment with art.

"Bella, Edward," Alice called from across the courtyard. She skipped towards us and took my schedule from me.

"Calc, English, Biology, Art…" She said with a note of suspicion in her tone. She quirked a brow at Edward, "what a wonderful surprise," she said, "you have calc and English with me and all classes with Edward."

"Hey," Edward said defensively, "You said yourself we should protect her. What better way than by being with her all of the time?"

Alice rolled her eyes, "You keep telling yourself that, but you know the conclusions that Emmett and Jazz are going to jump to; Rose probably too."

Edward shrugged and muttered unintelligibly under his breath.

"But, if you are willing to endure their jibes simply to have Bella all day…" She trailed off with a suggestive wiggle of the brow. I blushed red at her comment and Edward smacked his forehead.

"Tactful, Alice," he grumbled.

Alice laughed, "Well, that just means you are as big of a dork as Edward because you are in a couple senior classes. Are you ready for math?"

"Yeah, I guess," I said, looking around the campus and realizing we were attracting more attention. There was a group of kids forming about ten yards away and looking our way with curious stares. I recognized Mike Newton talking to another boy. He pointed to me and was seemingly explaining something to the boy with dark skin and brown hair. Mike was smiling and nodding his head in some sort of smug confirmation to the incredulous look of the boy. An Asian kid with somewhat unhealthy skin was shaking his head with wide eyes at Mike in disbelief in what Mike was saying. Mike waved his hands as if shaping an hour glass figure and held up the universal "it's great" gesture.

I did not like the feeling I got from their exchange…

Edward and Alice both looked in the direction that I was and I swear Edward let out a low growl. I looked at him with raised eyebrows but I did not get his attention from his murderous glare in Mike's direction.

"Edward," I whispered, gripping his arm. The contact seemed to snap him out of his trance and he looked at me with a gaze that felt like it shot through me. I tried not to be stunned or, dare I say, aroused by the positively primal and feral expression he gave me. My hand tightened on his arm and I stumbled into him some at the sheer animal magnetism he emitted.

"Control the lust, children," Alice said with a snicker. Is that what this was?

"What's wrong, Edward?" I asked him.

"I am pretty sure I know what Mike is talking about," He said with another dangerous glare Mike's way before looking at me again. He took the elbow of the hand that was attached to his arm as if it was his last string to sanity and clutched me closer.

"If you guys are going to like, make out, by all means tell me so that I can go and not bother you," Alice said. I almost literally leaped away from Edward and tried to get a grip on my emotions. Edward's eyes widened as he shook himself from the snares that the territorial lust put him under. I looked back at Mike, but his crowd had dispersed.

Alice chuckled and shook her head, "How about we go to math before Edward either kills Mike or marks his territory over Bella?" She offered. I laughed a quick, nervous laugh and headed in the direction of the math building. I heard a few snippets of the hurried, furious, and rushed discussion (or argument) of Alice and Edward as they followed me.

"You know they're gonna know!" Alice hissed.

"Can it, Alice, before I do for you," Edward warned.

"Wouldn't it be better just to tell them because of…"was all I got from her reply. I whirled on them and they looked at me innocently.

"Something you guys wanna share?" I asked flatly.

"Um, yeah," Alice said, and Edward's eyes flashed to hers in a baleful glare and she seemed to concede by saying, "we are going to be late…" I rolled my eyes and started to walk in the direction again. We arrived at the room early, actually.

"So much for being late," I said with a smile in Alice's direction. Unfortunately the teacher seemed to think we were still in the third grade and had a roster on the wall of where we were going to sit- and it was in alphabetical order. Curses.

"Crap," Edward muttered while he saw that I was practically on the other side of the room than him and Alice.

"Are you going to try to dazzle a male teacher to let us sit together?" I asked dryly with a laugh. He looked at me with a flat expression then smiled.

"I suppose not," He murmured. I looked back at the roster and almost fainted.

"Wonderful," I muttered, "I get to sit next to that Jessica girl."

"Better you than me," Edward said. I shot him a look and he held his hands up defensively, "Hey, at least she won't make a move on you or something." I giggled at the thought of her "making a move" on a very unwilling Edward.

"Don't laugh," He said with a smile nonetheless as he poked my shoulder, "it was traumatic."

"More like hilarious," Alice said with a taunting smile.

I rubbed his upper arm after he shuddered at the memory and went to my seat as the bell rang. I gave Alice and Edward a regretful smile as I sat down and a flustered Jessica stormed to the seat in front of me. I watched in horror as Mike sauntered in with the unhealthy-skinned boy and sat down to the left of Jessica and his friend sat behind me. His friend grinned at me as he sat down.

"Hey Bella, right?" He said. I nodded, worried how he already knew to call me Bella and not Isabella. I shot a look at Mike who was sitting on his desk and talking to Jessica and looked back at the boy.

"My name is Eric. Eric Yorkie," He said extending a hand. I shook it and tried to mask the reluctance with a smile.

"Don't crack your face, Bella," Alice called from across the room.

The teacher walked in the classroom and sat at his computer to take attendance as Jessica whirled in her seat and looked at me with a bright and somewhat terrifying expression.

"So you're like, living with the Cullen's aren't you?" She asked me. Mike also turned sharply in his seat to face me when I was being addressed and watched the conversation.

"Oh, well, sort of…" I stuttered, wondering how A. they knew that and B. how I should explain that.

"Do you have your own room?" She asked me leaning in. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes; of course she would be worried about my sleeping arrangements.

"Nope," I said, coming up with a wicked plan.

"Are you sleeping in the same room as one of them?" She asked, and I was irked at how she referred to them like they were some sort of gang.

"Yeah," I said nonchalantly.

"Oh," She said, "Is it like the Alice one or something?"

"No," I replied. I could see through her calm act, though; she was dying to get details. Mike shifted in his chair as that left only boys to be bunking with. I heard Eric cough a little behind me.

"Are you sleeping in the same bed as a boy!?" She asked in a hurried hiss.

"Yeah," I replied while doodling on my notebook. Eric started to cough harder as if he choked on something.

"Well… who is it!?" She asked. I don't know why she had to, though, because she knew that Emmett was completely smitten with Rose, and there was no way in hell he would trade her for me; and that left Edward.

"Just Edward, he has the most comfortable bed," I said with a dreamy smile. Her eyes went so wide I thought they were going to roll out of her skull. Her mouth opened wide and she resembled a dying fish. Mike and Eric both screamed, "WHAT?!" At the same time Jessica asked, "Are you like…SLEEPING together or sleeping together?!" in a nearly hysterical voice.

"Jessica," I replied flatly, "I am just kidding. Of course I have my own room and of course I wouldn't be able to sleep in the same room as a boy." I thought she was going to faint with relief. She shrilled a laugh that was so fake it almost hurt and pushed my shoulder in that extremely irritating way some girls do when they are joking. Mike and Eric also both laughed a nervous laugh and put on a smile.

"That was funny," She said with a roll of the eyes, "You had me going there!" _Well, of course I did, Jessica, because you are a brainless twit._ I wondered idly if she was the Jessica that Charlie ordered food from the other day.

"Hey, do you work at that diner in town?" I asked her. She nodded, "How did you know?"

"Oh, Charlie ordered from you the other day," I explained.

"It is an awesome place to work- there are a lot of hot guys that eat there and work there," She said, and she mouthed with one hand on the side of her face, "Mike is one of them."

The teacher called the class to order, however, saving me from talking to her or the boys.

He introduced himself and talked about his life a little, although I thought that was a moot point seeing how it was a small town and everyone save me probably knew him and his family of four inside and out.

"As it happens," He said while looking at the roster, "we have a new student here."

Oh God no.

"Would Isabella Swan please stand up?" He asked as he looked strait at me. I could feel the blush creeping up on my face as I slowly stood up. People were on all sides so I didn't really know where to face, so I stuck with facing the front where I could see Edward and Alice. They both gave me apologetic smiles and I cracked one back.

"Can you tell us something about yourself, Isabella?" He asked.

"Bella," Edward corrected almost automatically before I could. He, as well as everyone else, looked surprised at his actions and blinked a few times before looking back at the teacher.

"My name is Bella," I said, "and I am pretty certain that you guys know a lot about me already," I continued with an actual laugh. I was proud that it didn't sound shaky or nervous.

"Well," the teacher continued, "why don't you tell us something you are sure we don't know about you? Knowing this town, we will probably know you inside and out in due time, but how about you help us?"

This little statement made me shut down in fear.

My eyes snapped in Edward and Alice's direction and they, too, were pretty much frozen. Alice made a gesture at me like "on with something, girl!"

Fear forgotten, or locked away under the instinct to protect my past, I continued, "Well, I come from Arizona, am quite possibly the most clumsy person in the world," that got a few laughs "I like to read, I do some art, and like long walks on the beach." I added sarcastically. The teacher laughed and waved his hand dismissively.

"Alright, alright," He said. I sat down with a silent whoosh of air and Edward and Alice relaxed.

We took a thirty question placement test so the teacher could see "where we stand mathematically". It was pretty simple Algebra II and Pre-Cal, so I was done in about thirty minutes. Beautiful; only one more hour to go…

I started to doodle aimlessly for a few minutes as other people fiddled with their tests. I looked over and saw that Alice was still working, although she was almost done, and Edward had his test handed in as well. He looked my way and smiled and mouthed, "Was it hard?"

I silently scoffed and shook my head with a good natured smile. His chest heaved in a soft, silent laugh and looked over Alice's shoulder.

"Last one," he mouthed to me and I nodded. He took out a sheet of paper and started to write something on it, so I guessed that was the end of our conversation and went back to my doodle. I faintly heard something slide underneath chairs and come to a stop under my desk.

I picked up a neatly, tightly folded piece of paper. The outside said "from Edward" in elegant handwriting. I unfolded it once and it read "that color of blush you had earlier looks adorable on you". I tried not to blush as I read this. I flashed a glance his way, but he was looking calmly out the window to his left. I unfolded it again read "so now that you have had your glance my way, how do I look?" I blushed as I unfolded it again, "I thought my bed was comfy, too. Thank you for arguing on its behalf," Blush crept onto my cheeks as I realized he heard me earlier.

I huffed and unfolded the paper again, "I just wanted to know how you knew it was comfy, though. Did you break in my room? I would have invited you if I knew you wanted to test it, you know." Blush rose to my hairline like wildfire as I flicked another glance his way. He was facing the front of the classroom and was trying to hold back laughter. Alice got up to hand in her test and caught Edward's restrained expression on the way back. She shot him and I a suspicious expression and Edward clamped a hand on his mouth to keep from laughing. I buried my face in one hand in an attempt to get the blush out of my face. I unfolded the paper one more time, "See what I mean? Absolutely lovely."

I had no idea what I should have felt. I felt embarrassed, surprised, confused, curious, and maybe even desired. Was Edward Cullen flirting? I stared at the paper in my hands for a while until Eric stood up behind me to hand in his test. I folded the paper up hastily and shoved it inside my jacket pocket. On the way back to his seat, Eric was about to whisper something to me, but Mike tripped him. Eric fell and, VERY deliberately, landed on my desk. He looked up from my desk and his face was inches from me as he smiled a goofy smile. I leaned back in my seat with wide eyes.

"Mr. Yorkie!" The teacher shouted as he stood up in his chair. Eric shot upright and stammered, "s-sorry I was tripped…" and fumbled to his seat. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat and glanced over at Alice and Edward.

Alice had her head buried in her arms on her desk and her shoulders were shaking in silent laughter. Edward look positively incensed and was glaring at Eric. I could practically feel the waves of fear rolling off of Eric behind me. Eric probably thought Edward to be the big brother from hell…that was a weird thought. Emmett was big brotherish. Edward…not so much; definitely not with the mixed emotions I have had between common sense and what I feel.

I laughed a little at the thought of Emmett glaring balefully at Eric in a protective manner, but then I wondered how Edward was glaring at him if not like a big brother. I shrugged; he probably knew I didn't want to have his attention and was seeing to it I wouldn't have it again.

The class ended not a moment too soon and I stood up to leave. After gathering my things and looking up to leave, I came face to face with Jessica.

"Hi, uh, Jessica?" I sort of asked.

"Oh my goodness," She gushed, "that test was super hard. It should have a cape!" I furrowed my brows and was somewhat alarmed when she hooked arms with me.

"Where is your next class?" She asked me buoyantly.

"Your guess is as good as mine," I said, "I really don't know where much of anything is around here." I saw Edward look at me questioningly from the doorway and Alice peek back in wondering why I didn't follow.

"Well, what is it?" She asked, "I could show you around."

"Actually, Jessica, that is where we come in," Edward said pleasantly in front of us. Alice stepped from behind him and stood in front of her. I pretended to drop my pen and eased my arm out of Jessica's arm to get it. I don't think she really noticed, and she spent her time ogling Edward.

Feeling slightly territorial for some reason, I hooked Edward's arm with my own and allowed him to lead me and Alice out of the room and away from a dazed Jessica. Alice remembered to call out a goodbye to Jessica before we left.

"Feeling a little possessive are we, Bella?" Alice asked me with a quirked eyebrow. Edward laughed as I unhooked my arm from his in a flourish and willed the blush to leave my cheeks.

"She was just saving me from Jessica's terror, Alice," Edward said, "chill."

"Is THAT what they are calling it nowadays? SAVING you?" Alice said with a thoughtful expression, "I thought it was more of a 'you are mine and no one else—" I clamped a hand over her mouth.

"Are you done?" I asked, annoyed. She removed my hand from her mouth and whispered in my ear, "I know the real reason you were on edge with Untouched, and Edward is blind for not seeing it himself."

"Hey now," Edward said, "Let's cut out the whispering and high school drama with the secrets, people." Alice giggled at my stunned expression and continued with, "Let's go to English where you two will be the only smart juniors. Honestly, you are the only two juniors I can stand."

"What an honor," Edward said dryly as we made our way to the English building.

"Oh, yeah, like you mingle with every junior, right?" Alice asked. Edward laughed, "True."

"Bella!" I heard someone shout behind me. We turned to find Mike jogging towards us. I internally groaned. Alice took my left arm and Edward hooked my right as if bracing me for the blunt of the storm. Well, that is how it felt; to anyone else it was just a group of high school kids being buds.

"Bella," Mike repeated when he was closer. He eyed Alice and Edward (especially) warily before continuing, "What happened?"

"What do you mean?" I continued somewhat warily myself.

"You just left without saying anything," He said seeming like a downcast puppy.

"Is that what your ego requires, Mike?" Alice asked.

"To alleviate hormonal boys, take one dosage of conversation with pretty girl hourly," Edward recited, "that sounds about right." I chuckled at his response.

"Too bad Bella isn't just pretty," Edward continued, "She is out of your league." I blushed at his compliment.

"Is there anything in particular that you wanted to say, Mike?" Alice asked politely before Mike could retort.

"Um…" He said, not sure how to continue after being completely talked into a box, "Nothing really…I'll see you around, Bella." He walked away in retreat and Alice and Edward did a high five in front of me.

"See, Bella," Alice said, "I told you we would tear anyone apart who would mess with you."

"Poor Mike," I said shaking my head.

"I beg to differ," Edward muttered. We continued to English while walking like the characters in the Wizard of Oz. I ended up tripping just before we made it to the English building, though, and we collapsed on each other in fits of laughter. Alice was strewn over my lap and we were both in between Edward's legs. I leaned on my elbows over his thigh to support myself, but Alice was beyond supporting herself and was completely limp while laughing. Edward was lying down and his chest was heaving with laughter. I hauled Alice off of my lap and helped her up and the both of us helped Edward up.

We were almost sober as we entered the classroom and Alice let out a 'whoop' when she saw that this teacher did not give us a roster. We went to the right side of the room and Alice sat in front of me and Edward to my left. A soft spoken, tall girl walked in and sat behind me.

"Ah," Alice said, "one of the few of my fellow seniors that I like. Hi, Angela!"

"Hello Alice," Angela replied over the top of the novel she was reading. She looked at me curiously.

"I am sorry for asking," She started abashed, "but you are Bella Swan, right?"

I smiled, "Yes I am and don't be sorry; everyone is asking that."

"That is why I am sorry," She replied with a smile. She extended a hand and we exchanged the whole "nice to meet you" song and dance.

"I am sorry again for being victim to my mother's tedious gossip, but are your father and house alright?" She asked.

"Yes, thanks," I said. She nodded and returned to her book so I turned around to face Alice and Edward who were having some sort of poke war. Edward whipped his finger into Alice's side and she shrieked and jumped backwards, than recoiled back and poked Edward; who flinched and tried to grab her hand.

"Wow you guys," I said, "your maturity stuns me." Two fingers simultaneously poked my stomach and I laughed at how Alice and Edward thought to retaliate like that at the same time.

The teacher walked into the room and gave yet ANOTHER introduction, only hers was a tad half-hearted and I got the impression that it was some sort of criteria to tell us about them. She handed out a rubric of the class and told us about the stories we were going to go over. It was the same old same old: Shakespeare, Austin, Dickens, etc. I had read all of the major ones and the minor short stories would probably take me all of one night.

Her assignment was much like the math assignment; we had to write a two-hundred word essay describing ourselves to see where we were when it came to writing. I had only about five MILLION essays like this one so I found it relatively easy.

Forty-five minutes later left me essay-less and scribbling drawings on the back page of my notebook. The swirling lines and shaded regions started to connect and form a picture. Even I couldn't figure it out exactly as lead flowed from the pencil to the picture. My eyes narrowed in concentration as more and more lines joined like some sort of connect the dots.

The picture morphed into a pair of ghostly eyes that held pictures in them. The one on the left had a picture of seven hands that swirled into the pupil seamlessly. The right eye had what looked like more eyes on the strands in the iris. From the eyes that looked pretty evil themselves I went down to a nose that was sharp, pointed and wrinkled into a sneer; which I continued with a mouth that had one side of the lips pulled over the teeth into an intimidating sneer.

I pulled out of my hunched over position to look at it and nearly chucked it across the room as I recognized what the heck I just drew. James' characteristically sharp features and almond, dark eyes stared at me through the page in my notebook. Strands of his light hair broke free from his wild ponytail and were flowing in an unseen breeze. The proximity of his face was nerve-wracking, even in picture form.

I quickly tore the page from my notebook and shredded it fiercely. I was breathing somewhat hard from the odd rush it gave me to tear up his picture and looked up for the first time in ten minutes.

Everyone was frozen looking at me.

The teacher's hand was extended to grab a paper from a student who had it extended towards her but they were both unmoving staring at me. Some senior was stoic looking at me in the middle of sharpening of his pencil on the wall sharpener.

For some reason Alice and Edward started laughing. Alice nudged me and indicated only for me to see to start laughing as well. I started to genuinely laugh at the two of them and everybody relaxed and wasn't looking at me like I was insane. Angela joined in behind me.

"Are you finished?" The teacher asked briskly.

"I am sorry on behalf of everyone, ma'am," Edward said sincerely. I am pretty sure every girl minus Alice swooned on varying levels of intensity, including the teacher.

"Just don't d-do it again…" The teacher stammered desperately trying to keep her stringent tone. He nodded solemnly and looked back at me with a wink. Alice stayed facing Edward and turned her head so she could see me. She scribbled something down on a piece of paper and slid it to me.

"What was that?" It read.

"I honestly don't know," I wrote back and slid it to her. She gave me a doubtful look.

"Whatever; but we got your back," She wrote back.

"Yeah, that was pretty genius of you two…and kind of scary that you did it at the same time," I replied. I saw her laugh as she read it. She turned around and shrugged with a smile. She slipped me a huge dots game and she, Edward, and I played dots until the end of the period. When the bell rang we all dutifully got up and left the room.

"Hey, Bella," Angela called, she caught up with me and asked, "what was that about back there?"

"Oh, it's just an inside joke, sorry," I said. She looked slightly unconvinced, but shrugged anyways.

"Ok," she conceded, "I hope you didn't mind that I played along."

"Not at all," I said, _it looked more believable. _

"Alright, well I'll see you around," She said.

"Wait, Angela," Alice said, "what do you have next?"

"Gym," She made a face.

"Oh good," Alice breathed, "me too. Let's go; see you guys around," she said to me and Edward, then left arm and arm with Angela on the way to gym. I laughed at her enthusiasm. Edward and I headed off to biology in peaceful, companionable silence.

That is until I almost got trampled by five boys running down the covered, outdoor sidewalk.

Edward and I both paused and looked questionably each other as we heard the sound of beating feet and shouting. Edward turned around to look at the noise, grabbed my shoulders and whirled me around to a pole and stood in front of me as the herd of unruly boys rushed by.

"Why is it you are always yanking me out off of the brink of destruction here?" I asked him. He laughed and while still inches from me and his scent overwhelmed my senses.

"Maybe because only you could find so much danger in the amount of time you have been in such a small town," He offered. I blinked to clear my head but to no avail- even when I closed my eyes his face was inches from me and almost engraved in my eyelids.

He took his hands off of my shoulders and stepped back, allowing me to have my space…much to my disappointment.

"Let's go you danger magnet," He taunted while flipping his head in the direction of biology. I stuck my tongue out at him but obliged.

"So what did you write about in that awfully trite essay of ours?" He asked on the way.

"Oh, you know," I said with a nonchalant shrug, "the whole 'I am good at taking a beating and acting like it didn't happen' or 'I come from a broken, abusive home'; that whole bit."

I came out of my conversation long enough to see that Edward had stopped walking. I turned around and saw him frozen looking like he choked on air. I doubled over in laughter. Edward was at my side in an instant.

"Are you insane, Bella?!" He hissed, looking around wildly to see if there were any people listening. I had already done that, though.

"Edward," I gasped, "I was just kidding." He straitened up from crouching near me and looked at me with a disapproving expression.

"Hardly funny, Bella," He said. I managed to sober up and looked at him, "Maybe not," I conceded, "but your face sure as hell was." He rolled his eyes and sighed; I could tell I actually worried him.

"Edward," I said in a completely serious tone, "I am sorry for worrying you; but honestly, I was fighting tooth and nail to tell you and the Hale's, and I trust you. Why did you think I would tell some teacher who is no doubt as big of a gossip around the water cooler as anyone in this town is?"

He crooked a smile and nodded as if saying _yeah…that's about right_. We continued on to biology and I groaned when we realized that all of our _friends_ were there. Damn it.

"Wonderful," Edward muttered while we were still a safe distance away from Eric, Mike, Jessica, and another boy that was a part of Mike's group.

"We can still make a break for it," I whispered conspiringly. He laughed as Jessica's head whipped in my direction and she lit up with a smile…or probably EDWARD'S direction and she lit up.

"Bella," She called, waving wildly. Ok, so she was using my friendship with Edward to her advantage. She did a stupid small-stepped run thing to hasten over to us and she threw herself at me in a extremely fake, somewhat painful hug.

"Hi Jessica," I said a little breathlessly as I pried her arms off of my neck, "Are you always this, um, exuberant with people you just met?"

"Well, no," Jessica said, "but I made an exception for you."

"How lucky you are, Bella," Edward said with a strait face but I could tell he wanted to burst out laughing. I scowled at him while Jessica turned around and gave him doughy eyes. His expression turned from smugness to fear as Jessica stepped forward towards him and said, "I could make an exception for you especially, Edward." When she said his name she put a hand on his shoulder and pulled him closer. I could hear the wheels turning in Edward's head trying to figure out how to get her away from him and still be a gentleman.

Luckily I didn't have the bonds of chivalry to tie me down.

"Back off, Jessica," I said in a steely tone that made her whirl in surprise and Edward's eyes widen.

"Excuse me?" Jessica asked in what I supposed was meant to be intimidating.

"No, I don't think I will 'excuse you'. But if you and your overly sized head couldn't hear me, I said back off," I said with slow, deadly articulation and stress. I saw her confidence waver and smiled a humorless, dark smile and raised a speculative eyebrow, daring her to continue with her pitiful arguments.

"Are you his keeper or something?" She challenged. Mistake.

"It wouldn't matter if I was the Devil himself, take your hand off of his shoulder or lose it," I said with a step towards her. She backed up and Edward slipped around her and took my arm.

"Let's go, Bella, we are going to be late," He whispered in my ear with a smile in his voice. He twirled me around and walked in the direction of class. We arrived at the class at the same time the bell rang and we took the lab table in the back right by the window and waited as the teacher closed the door behind an agitated Jessica. She plucked Eric out of his seat next to Mike and sat down there. Mike was oblivious to this exchange, but welcomed Jessica with open arms when he found out, giving her a greasy grin and putting an arm around her waist. Eric huffed and sat down next to another one of Mike's "posse".

The teacher did roll call and I started to doodle again.

"How often do you draw, Bella?" Edward asked.

"Every time I am bored," I shrugged.

"You are bored being with me?" He asked in mock hurt.

"Only when a teacher is going to yell at us any second for talking," I said with a smile.

"We don't have to talk," Edward said with a blasé shrug, "there are other options that require very, very little talking."

"Oh, yes," I said, "but what would we do without your oh-so-comfortable bed?"

He laughed but let the subject drop. I almost regretted saying something about comfy bed activities, though, because now there was a sort of energy in between us. The teacher stood up and gave an unenthusiastic introduction before rolling a television to the front of the room.

"We are going to get started on mitosis and meiosis tomorrow," the teacher said, "so I wanted to give you background on the subject to prepare you for tomorrow's discussion."

He turned on the T.V. and walked over to switch the lights. The lights went out and I nearly launched myself at Edward. I clutched the notebook in my hands and desperately tried to keep myself under control. The tension between us was unbearable; its only remedy was to cover ever inch of Edward with myself.

I looked over at him and he, too, was on edge. We locked eyes and suddenly our close proximity was too far apart. We started moving in towards each other. My hands itched to knot themselves in his hair, my legs dying to— NO!

I shot back in my seat wide-eyed and he straitened in his chair. He ran a nervous hand through his hair and fidgeted with his shirt- the same shirt that I wanted to rip off. I mentally slapped myself; where did this…this…lust come from!?

We stayed in our odd, tense little bubble for the rest of the film. The bell could never have been more welcome than when it did then. My body visibly relaxed and Edward chuckled some.

"Well…that was…um…interesting," Edward said. I laughed, "Sure."

We gather our things and headed in the direction of art. I was actually looking forward to this class.

So long as some of our otherwise annoying peers weren't there.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Yeah, sorry for chopping her first day nearly in half, but I couldn't find another good interval. If I included her whole first day, Chapter Ten would have neared about thirteen thousand words- and there is no way I could keep that up for Chapter Eleven. **

Chapter Eleven

Have I mentioned how much I dislike small towns enough? I don't think I have, so I will say it again: I despise small towns with every fiber of my being.

Why, one might ask, why hate the very thing that brought you to someone like Edward? Well, I love them for birthing someone like Edward and his family. However, small towns mean small schools; small schools mean small freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior classes. Smaller classes mean you get stuck with the same people all day.

We arrived at art class and I almost said "forget it," and left. Jessica, Mike, Eric, Tyler, and more were all there mulling around acting like the overly hormonal teenagers they were. Jessica was with another girl lying down on the white lab-like tables and let the boys finger their hair that flowed over the side. They would giggle or playfully slap the boys when they would run their hands close to the top of their shirts. There were also two huge guys who looked nearly as large as Emmett. They had olive skin and dark hair, one with long hair one with a crew cut.

Edward and I tried to go unnoticed and took the table in the far left corner. I was actually happy about this class, though, regardless of questionable peers. It was an advanced class so we wouldn't be, like, finger painting all year and working with cheap supplies. The impressive-looking room had tables that had cup holders for cups of water or paintbrushes. There were larger than normal windows in the room and the classroom was flooded with sunlight.

We lounged around as other students filed into the room and sat with their respective friends and what not. The bell rang and the student that held the door open walked in and sat down, leaving us in a room without a teacher.

One solid minute went by before a teacher arrived- or what I thought was a teacher. She whirled into the room in a tornado of long shawls and large-stoned necklaces. I thought the woman was going to get osteoporosis just by wearing those things.

"Hello my pupils," She said in an unbelievably airy voice, "I am Miss Hockley do hope that the scents I scattered across the room and the colors strewn about open up your inner spirit! In this classroom, you will learn to express the interior sanctum that is your very core of existence." She got the sound of crickets in return. She continued with a perfect air of dreaminess.

"I hope that you will feel that you can learn how to show yourselves on a great level of thinking vicariously through that which we call a paintbrush," not even the crickets chirped. We all paused and looked at her like she was mad.

I could already tell I was going to like her.

"For our first assignment- nay, opportunity to express ourselves- we will be working with coals and sketching paper," She snapped at a few students to pass out the materials and continued, "I want you to draw anything within sight. This will aid me to see your preferences and your artistic ability." She glided to her desk and sank into the chair while typing away furiously on the computer.

There was really only one thing I could think of drawing.

I pretended to look out the window and claimed that I was going to draw a tree when really I was trying to draw Edward. At first I thought that I was stupid for trying to capture such beauty, but then I thought that nothing else seemed worth drawing when I was presented with such an awe-inspiring subject.

Edward said he was trying to draw a chair to my right.

"I am afraid I have little talent when it comes to drawing," he said impishly as he sat facing me and started to sketch. I laughed, "Oh, I am Michelangelo over here," I said with a roll of the eyes. He laughed and shrugged.

Thirty minutes in and I was remarkably pleased. I almost did the impossible. I thought his shoulders wrong, but how can you draw masculine, but slender shoulders? In the drawing he was drawing, ironically. It was the only way I could draw him, and I was thankful he did a drawing behind me so I had an excuse to see his face. His eyes were downcast as his long lashes sent shadows over the apples of his cheeks. His lips were pulled into a half smile as if he was amused by what he was drawing. His eyebrows were concentrated, yet relaxed as his hands seemingly danced across the drawing in his lap.

The drawing paper and clipboard in his lap was elevated and covered some of his chest, and his knee was propped up to support it. His long, willowy hands looked so strong, so sure as they gripped the side of the clipboard and the charcoal pencil.

I put the finishing touches on it and was suddenly embarrassed with it; what was I thinking!? What would I say? "Oh, yeah, I lied. I wasn't drawing the tree, I was secretly drawing you. There is nothing stalkerish about that, right? Oh, don't worry. The only reason I drew you is because you are the most beautiful thing here and the only thing I see." That would go over well.

My fingers were a mess, too. It was safe to say that charcoal coated patches of me from the tip of the finger to the elbow. Before I could think of what to do, though, both Lauren and Jessica skipped to our table and sort of wrestled each other to get to Edward first.

He looked up patiently from his drawing.

"Yes, um, girls?" He asked. Lauren won the little duel and stepped up to the table.

"I took the liberty of drawing you, Edward," She purred as she leaned over the table, giving us an unwanted view of her cleavage. She slipped a piece of paper on the desk and I sank further into my seat; now I was acting exactly like the witless bimbos all drooling over Edward…perfect. I looked at the drawing on our table of a somewhat person that looked nothing like Edward. It was a half-assed picture of an anorexic-like thin boy with too-long carrot top orange hair and no depth at all.

"What do you think?" She asked in a low voice. Edward looked at the picture.

"Um," He started, "Did you use crayon? Weren't we supposed to use charcoal?" He asked. Lauren flushed and whipped the paper off of the table. She turned to Jessica for some reason and glared at her.

"Yours isn't better by far," She said in a biting voice.

"Hey now," I said, "Chill out."

"What are you, the policeman of the classroom?" Lauren sneered.

"Clever comeback, Lauren, but no," I said, "I just don't like to see a bitch abuse nonexistent power; calm down." Lauren huffed and apologized quickly to Jessica. Jessica recovered and stepped forward and put the piece of paper on the table.

It wasn't much better, actually. She didn't use crayons, however, and kept it a sketch. She didn't use her fingers to work the charcoal, though, so it looked sort of amateur and flat. She drew his head too big, too and his eyes were enormous. I didn't want to hurt her feelings so I looked somewhere else and said nothing.

Good luck, Edward.

"That's very thoughtful of you two," He said in a pleasant voice as he returned to his picture. His hands rubbed the paper to smooth and blend the charcoal in the most sensual of ways. He crouched closer to his lap as his concentration escalated.

"So…?" Jessica asked. Edward snapped back into reality.

"Is there something wrong?" Edward asked a little irked this time.

"Um," Lauren continued uncertainly, "we want to know who you like."

"Excuse me?" Edward asked in almost horror.

"Well, whosever picture you like better is who you like better, right?" Lauren said. Edward blinked as he tried to figure out how they came to this conclusion as was I.

"I am afraid you are mistaken, girls," Edward said, "I have no preference."

"So you want us both?" Lauren said while she sat on the lab table. Edward leaned away and held his picture somewhat protectively; over a picture of a chair? That was odd. Just as well, though, he might have been using it as a shield.

"Lauren," He replied flatly, "I am afraid not. I am sure, however, that Mike, Tyler, and Eric would return your affections." Lauren's face turned white and she hopped off and scurried back to the other side of the room with Jessica.

Did I think they were going to leave it at that? No.

"Good one," I complimented, "You have deterred the beasts for now."

Edward sighed, "I really wish they would take a hint and lay off. I don't want to hurt their feelings." That made one of us. I personally wanted to wring their necks for throwing themselves at him like that. I shrugged and he laughed, "Feeling a little more bloodthirsty?" He asked.

"I suppose," I said. Someone gasped over my shoulder and I jumped and turned. Miss Hockley took the clipboard with my drawing out of my hands and looked at it with almost watery eyes.

"This is amazing, dear," She breathed. I laughed a nervous laugh.

"Right," I said, trying to think of a way to get it out of her hands before Edward saw it. We were both still facing him with the drawing away from him, but it was only a matter of time the way she was going.

"This, children," She said to the class, "is what I call a drawing with feeling!"

Oh come _on. _God, not now.

"Do you see this?!" She sang as she whirled it around. My jaw locked shut as every head, and I do mean EVERY head, in the room turned as she held up my drawing like it was a beacon of hope. Some kids came closer to look at it better and I wanted to die when Edward looked at it closer.

"Is that…?" He started to ask as he looked closer, "That isn't a tree, Miss Swan." I looked up at him and smiled sheepishly.

"I um, took the liberty of drawing you, Edward?" I almost asked, repeating Lauren's earlier words.

"And what a fine job you did, my dear," Miss Hockley chimed. I would have sunk my head into my hands if they weren't layered with charcoal.

"Right…" I said again, "Um, do we have a sink in here?" I asked looking around.

"In the closet to the right," She said. I took the picture from her hands and put it on her desk on the way to the closet. The art closet had a blue door and once opened it revealed a rather large room with shelves upon shelves of art supplies from paints to plaster. To the right was a long counter with two sinks. I went to the far one and washed started scrubbing my hands.

I was completely mortified.

I internally groaned and slapped myself repeatedly as I scrubbed my hands vigorously with the orange-scented soap. The door to the closet opened and Edward stepped in. He put his picture down by the edge of the counter.

"Hey," He said as he soaped up his dirty hands. That sent a mental picture through my head like wildfire. I shook off the irrational wave of lust and replied, "Hey."

"Are you ok?" He asked.

"Yeah I guess." I said.

"You shouldn't be embarrassed, you know," He said as he dried off his hands.

"I suppose not," I said, "but I am sorry for acting exactly as Jessica and Lauren."

"You didn't," Edward said, "You were much more rational. You let the teacher act irrational for you." I laughed.

"But," He said, "As a matter of fact, I didn't draw what I said I did, either." He flipped the board and looked at me with a faint smile as I looked at his picture.

I almost choked. The picture was of me, but not of me. The goddess-like figure in his picture had soft curves and warm, lovely eyes that were looking down at the picture I was drawing. Her hair- my hair- was smooth and neatly in the ponytail I wore and her long white hands were wrapped around pencil and clipboard as her- my- brow wrinkled daintily in concentration.

"If this is what happens when you do something that you are bad at," I whispered, "I don't know if I could bear to watch you do something you are amazing at."

"So you like it?" Edward asked almost incredulously.

"How could I not, Edward?" I breathed, "It is absolutely lovely and I almost feel like I should be envious of the girl you drew for I am having trouble believing it is me."

"You don't see yourself clearly at all," He said while shaking his head, "I hope I can change that." He took the step that closed the distance between us and brushed a strand of hair from my face and twisted it back behind my ear. I resisted the urge to lean into his touch and to groan when he pulled his hand back after it lingered on my neck.

"We should get back in there," He murmured while quirking his head towards the room, "We don't want to start a scandal now, do we?"

"Not when we haven't done anything scandalous yet," I whispered.

"Not yet, aye," he asked with a laugh, "Is it only a matter of time?" I sure as hell hoped so. I rolled my eyes and walked past him he followed me and grabbed his drawing of me on the way out. He turned it into her and grimaced when she expressed the same exclamations she did with mine. When Jessica and Lauren saw that Edward had drew me so wonderfully, they sent a scowl my way and I just smiled politely and turned away.

Edward sat down and grumbled, "I am tempted not to do well in this class if it means having everything showcased…" I laughed and rubbed his arm comfortingly.

"No, you should do well," I said, "If only to up your self-esteem when it comes to art. You are talented, you know."

"I guess," he shrugged.

"How can you draw something like that in thirty minutes and just 'guess'?" I asked.

"Well, I can only draw like that when I am passionate about the subje—" He started but cut off when we both realized what he was saying.

"If that is how you feel that is how you feel, but I think you have a gift," I said, pretending I didn't hear despite how my heart pounded in my ears. _I _was his subject…so that meant that he was…

_No._ I told myself. _He is just drunk by protecting me from the evils of hometowns._

He shrugged, seemingly grateful to drop the subject and pulled out our previous dots game. We continued like that and basically talked about nothing while the others around us finished.

The bell rang and we got up and left without ceremony, thank God. We met up with Alice and she rambled about how the rest of her day went. What I liked about this school was that lunch was at the end of the day and the juniors and seniors could decide not to go to lunch and sign themselves out and drive themselves home.

The three of us decided to take our lunches to Rose and Emmett's shop where Jasper was probably stopping by. Alice and Edward said it was where they usually go for lunch this year.

"Last year when Eddie was a wee sophomore," Alice said, and Edward shot her a glare for the nickname, "Jasper, Rose and I would be the only junior and seniors in the lunchroom to keep him company and, let's face it, save him from the female race. The poor guy couldn't catch a break; but one glare from Rose would send 'em packing."

We arrived at the shop and Alice threw herself out of the car and at Jasper who picked her up and twirled her around while planting kisses on her face. She giggled at his actions and whispered things to him that I am sure I should have been thankful I didn't hear. Edward handed Alice her lunch and locked the car as we headed inside the garage. We sat down at a small lounge-like area with a U shaped white booth surrounding a table. I scooted in followed by Jasper and Alice to my left and Edward to my right.

"Where are Emmett and Rose?" I asked.

"They are dealing with a particularly annoying client," Jasper said while he took the half of the sandwich Alice offered him. He gave her a peck on the nose and she smiled while taking a sip of her flavored water. I took a bit of my sandwich to have something to do other than watch them. I saw Edward do the same and my lips quirked into an amused smile as did his.

"Hey lovebirds," Emmett called.

"You have used that too many time, Emmett," Jasper said.

"I wasn't talking to you and Alice, Jazz," Emmett said. I blushed when I realized that Edward and I had been staring at each other. I swallowed the mouthful and asked, "How was the client?"

"Annoying as hell," Emmett said exasperatedly as he sank into the seat to the right of Edward, "he is even more possessive of his car than Edward- and that is saying something." Edward laughed a good-natured laugh as did everyone else.

"Wow," Emmett said with raised eyebrows, "Edward is taking a joke? Impossible." Edward rolled his eyes but offered no argument. Rosalie stormed in from the next room and plopped down next to Emmett.

"Oh that man," She grumbled, "He would have you think that Emmett and I have no experience with cars!"

"That bites, sorry," I said. She sighed and shrugged, "Oh well, what are you going to do? How was your first day, by the way?"

"It went…well?" I said uncertainly, not exactly sure how our day went. Edward gave them the run through though left out things like the tension between us all freaking day and the people stalking us all freaking day; I guess the day may have sounded boring without these details.

"Oh, cool," Rose said, "I am glad you didn't kill anyone."

"Edward was about to," Alice snorted. Rose's eyes went wide, "Who?" She asked.

"Mike Newton," Alice said with a smile, "He was saying improper things about a certain attractive Arizonian we all know and love." She said with a sly glance my way. I rolled my eyes. Emmett laughed and looked at his watch.

"Ok, guys," He said, "well we are going to wrap things up in about two hours, so we'll meet you guys at the house." We all nodded and Jasper left with Alice, Edward and me.

We arrived at the house and Charlie's cruiser was outside. We walked inside laughing at something Jasper was saying and greeted Carlisle, Esme and Charlie who were all smiling pleasantly at us.

"Hey kids," Charlie said, "how was your day at school?" He eyed me especially. I gave him a minute nod and a small smile to let him know it was fine. He visibly relaxed and I internally smiled at his parent protectiveness.

"It was great," Alice said, "Bella is in two of my classes and all of Edward's." She gushed with a sly smile Edward's way. I was just thankful she didn't announce that tid bit when Emmett was here. Jasper caught it, though, and looked at Edward skeptically.

"So what's up, dad?" I asked Charlie.

"Oh I just came by with some news about the house," Charlie shrugged, "They say the repairs will be done in about two to two and a half weeks; I hope that is alright."

"That's great!" Alice bounced, "I love having a girl in the house!" Everyone, in fact, looked excited and I almost laughed; one family's disaster is another family's sleepover I guess. I thought that was a little long considering I only burned about one third of the house and upstairs was okay, but what do I know about remodeling?

"So what do you have planned for this afternoon?" Esme asked Alice.

"I don't have anything planned this afternoon," Alice shrugged. Everyone gasped.

"Well, I have been busy for the long weekend, alright?!" Alice said defensively, "What with having Friday off and having Angela's game on Thursday night, I have been a very busy girl."

"Long weekend…? Didn't you guys just get back from break?" I asked.

"Yes," Jasper laughed, "But either faculty is lazy or flat out stupid, but they have their teacher planning days the Friday we get back, giving us a long weekend after break."

"Right…" I said, "How crafty."

"You could call it that," Jasper snickered, "Well, Emmett and I have a Halo competition scheduled when he comes home, so do you guys want to play some Wii or something?"

"I'll watch." I said immediately, "Video games, especially ones that involve large swinging movements, aren't exactly ideal for me." Everyone laughed and agreed as Jasper, Alice, Edward and I went into the living room.

One hour later and Alice, Jasper, and Edward were all arguing whether each of them cheated. It was hilarious. They were going back and forth and I was watching with an amused expression like a tennis game.

"How can you cheat on Wii?!" Edward asked.

"I don't know," Jasper said, "YOU'RE the criminal mastermind here!"

"I am FLATTERED you think that I am that sneaky," Edward rebuffed, "but no, I am just that good." He finished with a smug face.

"Oh no you're not," Alice said, "do you remember what happened last time I won, oh great one?"

"Don't go there, Alice," Edward warned.

"You threw a hissy!" Alice shrieked.

"Oh, yeah? What about the time that you didn't win Wii bowling that one time—" Edward started.

"Edward…" Alice warned.

"And you didn't throw the ball right because—"

"Edward!"

"—you were too busy ogling Jasper coming in from the pool in his swimsuit?" Edward finished and Alice gaped at him. Jasper intercepted her the second she launched herself at Edward and restrained her as she clawed at Edward. Edward didn't know whether to look scared or smug as Alice was very nearly growling at him from the safety (or captivity) of Jasper's arms. Jasper chuckled and whispered something in Alice's ear and she visibly relaxed with a dreamy smile as she leaned into Jasper.

Jasper glared at Edward over Alice's shoulder and mouthed, "You owe me." Edward nodded with a laugh and they got back to Wii.

"You guys are insane," I said as I got up, "want drinks?"

I got yes's in response and made my way to the kitchen. I looked in the fridge and felt odd as I took out four cans of orange soda, but shrugged it off as I was getting some for other people. Before I made it through the doors, though, I heard the hurried and rushed voices of Esme, Carlisle, and Charlie in the next room.

"It isn't safe, Charlie," Esme said in an almost pleading voice.

"I am going to find the scumbag that is threatening her and am going to make damn sure she doesn't find out," Charlie grumbled.

"Charlie, I understand this has hit home for you," Carlisle said, "but you have to realize that this person may be after you as well as Bella. You looking for him over some emotional vendetta is not the answer."

"What about me looking for him as the Police Chief?" Charlie asked.

"We just want the both of you to be safe, Charlie," Esme said in a quiet voice.

"He nearly killed her!" Charlie almost bellowed. Esme shushed him.

"He almost killed her in that fire," Charlie said in a quieter, saner voice, "I cannot allow this person to get near her again."

"I think we should tell Bella," Carlisle said, "She has been extremely mature and deserves to know."

"Don't you think she has enough stress? It isn't easy being a new teen in a small town, especially not with her secrets," Charlie said.

"She has handled it remarkably well, Charlie, and I think she feels safe here," Esme said. I was surprised to realize that I did, in fact, feel safe here.

"She may know who would be after her," Carlisle reasoned.

"How would she know that?" Charlie asked, "I just…I just want her to be safe for once; carefree for once. She deserves it and more." I choked on emotion at the sincerity in Charlie's voice.

"We all want that, you most of all I am sure," Esme continued diplomatically, "and she will stay safe. This situation, however, calls for her to be a little less carefree than she deserves, unfortunately. I honestly don't think Bella was built to be carefree."

"This whole situation just leaves me in shambles," Charlie muttered, "some unknown scum was able to get inside my home, mess with the gas line, and nearly kill my daughter." My throat constricted and I tried not to gasp aloud as I froze by the door. _What fresh hell is this?_ I thought wildly.

"God knows how many of them there are and what they are willing to do to get her inheritance," Charlie muttered, "No wonder Renee took her away and kept her away from this place; her inheritance is almost a curse." I wouldn't venture as far as to say that. I loved the cottage and the picturesque land.

"You know she likes it here," Esme soothed, "The kids told me about how she was going to clean up that cottage all by herself. They helped her, of course, but she was willing to do the work for it."

"Which begs the question, what do we do now?" Carlisle asked. I stayed frozen by the door as I awaited their decision- unsure if I should, in fact A. eavesdrop B. barge in there like "we both know you wanna say something, so spit it out or C. walk away.

I chose A, being the nosy coward I am.

"I don't know what to do," Charlie murmured, "she is in danger if she stays but I don't think there is any way I could let her go again."

"Not to mention Edward…" Esme said.

"What do you mean Edward?" Charlie asked.

"Can't you see their bond, Charlie? It is unlike anything I have ever seen with Edward," Carlisle said.

"The-their bond?" Charlie asked, completely dumbfounded. I almost laughed had I not been so shocked; I couldn't picture Charlie talking about soul mates really.

"Edward feels very protective of Bella as well, Charlie. Dare I say that there is an attraction there," Esme said.

"You haven't found them, like, doing anything have you?" Charlie asked, and I could practically smell his parent-o-meter spiking.

"No, of course not, Charlie," Carlisle said, "Edward was raised differently than that."

"Applauding yourselves on your victory, I see," Came Edward's voice through the thin door. I surmised he had been listening too and nearly fainted on the spot. I could practically see his skeptical frame leaning up against the other door.

"He-hello Edward," Charlie stammered, "You spooked me there, son."

"My apologies," Edward said in a less-than-pleasant voice, "What is this about someone after Bella?"

"Edward, be reasonable here," Carlisle said sternly.

"I am merely asking, dad," Edward said.

"This isn't your business, Edward," Esme chided.

"Then let's get someone whose business it is in here, shall we? Like, maybe, Bella," Edward said.

"We just want to know if we should trouble her with this new information," Charlie said in an almost pleading tone.

"I understand," Edward said, "What have you found?" I noticed how Edward suddenly MADE it his business and somehow had Charlie asking for Edward's approval.

"The police department found evidence of tampering on the gas line- it was not an accident," Charlie said. There was a long stretch of silence while everyone chewed this over.

"Do you know if it is a group or a single person?" Edward asked quietly, sounding as if he were ready to kill.

"Not yet, I am afraid we know little at all," Charlie said.

"What are you going to do with Bella?" Edward asked.

"That remains to be seen," Carlisle said.

"She should stay here," Edward said, "At least until this is all dissolved."

"That could be months," Charlie said, "The people we are dealing with aren't amateurs."

"It's worth it," Edward said.

"We don't mind having her here, Charlie," Esme said, "We rather like her company."

"I couldn't impose like that," Charlie murmured, "I could send her to friends in Forks, Washington…" At that moment something snapped in me. I nearly threw the cans to the floor and kicked the door out of my way.

"NO," Edward and I both said at the same time. Carlisle, Esme, and Charlie jumped a considerable amount, but Edward didn't seem too surprised at my sudden appearance; he didn't look very observant, though, as he shook his head vehemently at Charlie's idea.

"She stays here," Edward said as Esme clutched her heart. Emmett came through the front door with Rose in tow.

"Hey, gang, we got Chinese—" He trailed off when he saw the tension in the room. Alice and Jasper came into the room by way of the living room.

"What's wrong?" Alice asked.

"Someone or some people are after Bella's inheritance and we have just decided she will stay here," Charlie said.

"Whoa, time out," Emmett said, "Bella's inheritance?"

"About one-hundred acres and that cottage you helped her clean," Charlie said automatically.

"Do you have any leads?" Rose asked, stunned.

"None," Charlie said grimly.

"Yes you do," I said, my eyes snapping to Alice's and meeting. She nodded a curt nod of understanding.

"One of my mother's 'friends'," I said, using my fingers to make quote marks, "Self-proclaimed friend more like. His name is James and I could draw you a picture or something, but that is pretty much all I can do for you."

"A face and a name, even if it is only a first name, are better than nothing, Bella," Charlie said. Alice danced out of the room and returned moments later with a pencil and a paper. I sat down at the couch and relived that annoying, unpleasant, and now scary memory of James. My pencil flew across the page as I drew his sculpted nose, his squinty eyes, and his pointed yet fragile chin. Instead of my earlier picture, where he was looking over his shoulder at the viewer, he was staring you down face on. When I was done I wanted to hurl. I had drawn yet another uncanny picture of James and his smug features.

"This is him to a T," I said in a voice that signaled I was rather nauseous. Edward ripped the page from my hand and looked at it along with everyone else. Charlie's eyes narrowed with scrutiny.

"He looks vaguely familiar, but not terribly," Charlie took his eyes off of the paper and looked at me, "Thank you for the drawing, it is very good. You'd make a good criminal artist." I rolled my eyes and smiled. Charlie took the picture and left with a polite goodbye.

"So, Jazz," Emmett said into the silence with a wiggle of the eyebrows and a few elbow jabs at Jasper's side, "You still up for Halo?"

"Do you mean am I still up to creaming your pansy ass?" Jasper scoffed, "bring it."

"Oh, it's on like Donkey Kong!" Emmett said as he, Jasper, Rose, and Alice made their way to the living room. I went back to the kitchen to see what damage I had done. Fortunately, the cans weren't broken and the kitchen wasn't sheathed in soda like I had pictured. One was dented, but it was otherwise ok; I'd have that one just in case it decided to explode. I put it on the counter and went to put the others in the fridge because they were warm and shaken up. I kicked the door close around the handful of soda cans I had and whirled to see Edward leaning against the counter watching me with a thoughtful expression.

"That really shouldn't have been so appealing," He mumbled.

"What shouldn't have been so appealing?" I asked. He shook his head as if out of a daze and plucked the dented can from the counter and went to open it. I put the cans in my hands on the counter and cried, "Don't!" as I ran towards him, but he opened the can. My hands gripped his as orange soda flew out of the can at his face and ricocheted to my face and front of body. I squinted my eyes shut as it poured over us for another five seconds.

When the soda had its last cough and we were thoroughly soaked, I opened my eyes a slit. Everything seemed ok so I opened my eyes further and inches from me was a completely sodden and sticky Edward. He blinked a few times to get some out of his eyes that had dripped off of his hair and looked at me with a bemused expression.

"Booby-trapped the soda did you, Miss Swan?" Edward asked as he lowered the can.

"I wish I had been that tricky, but I didn't…although the view is not at all a let down," I whispered as I looked at his soaked and dripping face. Our hands were still very much intertwined and our faces very much in close proximity to the other. Edward looked from my eyes to my lips for a fraction of a second and my breath caught.

"You look positively delectable in this state, Miss Swan," Edward said. I resisted the urge to fling myself at him and replied with, "Oh, yes, covered in sticky soda. I am wonderfully scrumptious."

Edward's eyes flashed to mine in a devious grin as he leaned in slightly. I could feel the streams of soda that ran down my cheeks from my wet hair, but that was a minor detail with this Greek god here before me giving me the most alluring of smiles.

He inched closer to my face and brushed his lips against my cheek, and it felt like every nerve ending in my body was going to leap out of my body and take him themselves. He pulled back and I saw some orange soda on his lips he swiped from my cheek. He licked it off slowly and I was fairly certain my heart was going to quit for being put into overtime by my nerves.

"I am pleased to say you are completely delicious," He whispered with a hungry expression on. My gut twisted into a million knots as I desperately tried for coherency of thought.

"That is a fact that you really shouldn't know, it is downright unfair," I said. He looked puzzled.

"Unfair?" He asked.

"Well," I said, "I can only imagine how you taste," I said in a low voice. He laughed a nervous, short laugh and said, "My oh my, Miss Swan. Do you always say these sorts of things to men?"

"Only one," I said. Edward's hand traveled from my hand to my wrist, my forearms to my upper arm, my shoulders to my neck where it finally rested cupping the back of my neck. I had to keep my thoughts on Earth and keep my eyes from rolling to the backwards slightly from the mere sensation his touch presented.

"We better get cleaned up," I whispered, positive that my voice would crack if I said anything louder. He cracked a smile and murmured, "What a shame." I blinked feverishly and stepped back after he released me. I grabbed a dish towel and cleaned the floor as Edward did the same.

"Might I ask what happened to the can that made it explode all over us?" Edward asked pleasantly as if he hadn't just made every inch of my skin set ablaze.

"Um," I said trying to remember past the knots in my stomach and the urges that demanded attention, "I think I threw them down and leaped through the door when Charlie talked of sending me to Forks, Washington."

I think Edward growled, but I couldn't be sure; the man could be positively primal at times.

"You aren't even contemplating that, right?" Edward asked.

"Of course not," I said, and maybe a little too quickly because Edward quirked another amused smile and returned to cleaning the floor. We got the floor and counters clean in about five minutes and set out upstairs to get cleaned up. We didn't encounter anyone thankfully, so we didn't have to explain ourselves… Well that is until we both show up downstairs wet from showers at the same time.

Edward disappeared into his room with an "I'll see you downstairs," and I went into mine, shutting the door and leaning against it as a whoosh of air escaped my lips. The man was driving me insane! Did he WANT me to act as unbearably hormonal as Jessica and Lauren had acted? If so then continue what you are doing, Mr. Cullen, because he was making me go there.

I stripped off the orange soda-ridden clothes and stepped into a hot shower to relax the muscles he so effortlessly coiled in anticipation. It took about fifteen heavy minutes to relax myself from that oddly energized state and I shut the water off and got changed. I dressed in cotton shorts and a tank top- even though you could see the straps of my bra through the tank top. Looking in the mirror made me balk and I threw on a hoodie that unfortunately covered the cotton shorts and thus looked pretty scandalous itself. I shrugged and walked down the hallway and made my way down the stairs.

The tapestries to my left caught my attention as I descended and I paused to look.

"What do you think?" An all-too familiar and pleasant voice whispered in my ear.

"It's beautiful," I breathed, forgetting to be alarmed by his sudden appearance in my stupor.

"Too bad you are standing in front of them showing them up," Edward said. I scoffed.

"Yeah, look out tapestries," I said sarcastically, "me all up in my hooded wetness is going to put you to shame." He laughed and nodded, "I am afraid there really is no comparison."

"What, do you mean comparison tapestries to a human? How comforting," I said as I continued to walk down. He followed me into the living room where everyone paused and looked at us. Even the game system seemed to look at us and ask "what the fuck?"

"Is there a problem?" Edward asked.

"Besides you two on hiatus for a good forty-five minutes and then returning wet, not at all," Rose said while trying to tame a fit of giggles. Alice succumbed to her laughter and her and Emmett snickered at us.

"Oh please, guys," I said as I plopped on a couch, "What are you, or were you, playing?"

"Halo, still," Emmett said a bit gloomily, "Jasper is cheating."

"That seems to be the only way someone can win around here," I mused before Jasper could interrupt. Emmett beamed and nodded, "unless you are me, of course." Jasper rolled his eyes and Edward sat down next to me as the argument commenced.

"If I cheated how do you explain the grenade you took to the face? I suppose you were saving the tree behind you from destruction by catching it?" Jasper said mockingly.

"The game glitched! You saw how the screen went all fuzzy!" Emmett said, "Besides, I am nothing if not an environmentalist."

"You are reaching, Emmett," Jasper said with a snort, "You nearly set fire to the surrounding vines three times in the past."

"What does that have to do with Halo?" Emmett asked.

"I don't know, you used it as some sort of lame cover up," Jasper shrugged. Rose, Alice, Edward and I laughed and the boys managed to come to some sort of twisted peace treaty in which they agreed to "kill each other another time" and we watched a movie. I couldn't really pay attention to the movie, though, because the second the lights were flipped I couldn't focus on anything but Edward and the palpable tension between us. I wanted nothing more than to drag him to the nearest (a) pantry, (b) closet, (c) bedroom and have my way with him.

It was deranged as it was insane.

At one moment I was grateful that he could not read my mind, but then I had the sneaking suspicion he had an idea of what was on my mind because his posture was much like mine- balled fists, uncomfortable shifts, rigid backs, crossed legs and arms, etc.

About half way into the movie I volunteered to make the refill of popcorn because I had a dire need to get out of there or have my needs satisfied…and the latter could prove dangerous. I popped the popcorn bag into the microwave and watched it pop as the scent took over the kitchen.

Have you ever noticed that when you try not to think of something that is the ONLY thing that you are capable of thinking of? It is extremely aggravating. I grit my teeth as I pushed thoughts of his breath on my face, his eyes looking at my face- hell, his LIPS on my face. I poured the popcorn into a bowl and breathed deeply before re-entering like I didn't just have some civil war of sorts in my mind.

I am relatively good at concealing such things.

I sat down and everyone's hand dove to the popcorn I set on the table. Twenty minute later left us popcornless, but I wasn't about to replenish the stock again- I hadn't even eaten any that I made.

After the movie was done Alice was passed out on Jasper and Rose was nodding off against Emmett, who was snoring with his head leaned back against the sofa. Jasper eased Alice up almost like a child and looked at her and handled her like she was the most precious thing in the world- she was to him. He navigated her upstairs and tucked her in, I am sure. Alice made sure to be in pajamas before the movie, thank God.

Jasper came back down some five minutes later and followed Emmett carrying Rosalie out to the car. I looked over at Edward who was looking at me peculiarly.

"Is there something wrong?" I asked. He shook his head, got up, and, much to my surprise, gather me in his arms bridal style.

"I didn't want you to feel like you couldn't get a ride because you were awake," Edward said with a smile as I looked at him wide eyed.

"Right," I said and clutched his neck as he spun effortlessly towards the doors and ascended the stairs swifter than I thought possible. He nudged my door open and surprised me AGAIN by quite literally throwing me on the bed. I laughed as the covers swirled around me and landed back down in a gush of air.

"Thanks for the ride," I said, then slapped a hand over my mouth and giggled when I realized the double meaning behind my words.

He stood by the door with an unfathomable, brooding expression that made my laughter die. He seemed to debate whether to stay or not as he stood there with some inner battle.

"I should go and leave you to bed, Bella," He said, "Sweet dreams." _Of you_ I almost said.

"Sweet dreams, Edward," I said in a quiet tone. He smiled an almost regretful smile as he closed the door. I flopped down in the bed and was quite certain I would not sleep much that night.

Curses.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

I woke with a start, but just put a hand to my chest and reminded me it was just a dream. I squeezed my eyes shut and begged the sandman to magically (a) make it later in the day than it was or (b) make me go to sleep. I opened my eyes with an exasperated sigh and turned my head to look at the clock.

I nearly chucked the clock across the room and demand it to tell me the actual hour- it couldn't really only be twelve o'clock at night! I plopped back onto my pillow and tried to will myself to sleep.

It was either delirium or desperation, but I could swear I heard music coming from somewhere in the house. Interested, I sat up and smoothed my hair habitually. I got up and tip toed out of the room silently, feeling like a smooth criminal.

I crept into the hallway and followed the music to Edward's ajar door. Puzzled, I pushed the door open slightly and looked in.

No one was there.

I could have sworn I heard music, though the notes foreign and muffled. The music seemed to come from his CLOSET, and unless Edward listened to music in his closet at the ripe old hour of twelve, than I was insane. I slinked to the door out of curiosity, though, and pushed it open.

_Ok, now I know I am on cocaine or meth or something, _I thought as I peered in and moonlight flooded in from a door that was at the top of a STAIRCASE. Then I thought about what Alice had said the first time we met: "he spends most of his time in the tower". _The tower? _Well, his room was more than met the eye now wasn't it? I looked at the rows of clothes surrounding the staircase and thought _those Cullen's are sneaky people._

As I came up the stairs, I only went high enough to see what was going on in the room above. I had to stifle a gasp as I saw a rather large room with a HUGE black piano- a grand piano, no doubt with its ten foot length. The walls had intervals of arched windows spaced about four inches apart and were long and thin, casting long shadows and lines of moonlight about the room. The only piece of furniture in the room was a lone old-fashioned, candy apple red couch; probably put there by Esme or Carlisle to watch him play. The music almost danced with the shadows in the room and I was riveted to my very core, frozen crouched on the staircase.

My gaze lingered to Edward's figure that was facing away from the door. He was hunched over the piano like he was with his picture, but this only confused me more- weren't piano players supposed to sit erect or something? That is…unless he was troubled for some reason…which would definitely explain how furiously he was playing, not to mention the hour he was playing.

I had every intention of leaving him to his privacy; I had a feeling this was some secret place he didn't want anyone else to encroach upon most of the time. Something about the way he played, and his very presence for that matter, however, engrossed me and left me planted there. I longed to see his long, white, capable hands move across the keys expertly, but I feared I had lost my stealth by being taken by such surprise.

Some unseen force hooked me and made my feet slide up the stairs and into the doorway. I feared that all of the windows would reflect me, but he had no lights on and operated by moonlight. I stayed there, unmoving, unblinking, almost not breathing, as he enraptured me with an unintentionally seductive melody in its passion and vigor. Suddenly he stopped and my heart did as well. He sighed and his head sagged onto the piano, creating a loud clash of keys to give way under his head. He groaned in some unfathomable frustration and muttered, "Edward Cullen, you are insane."

I walked closer to him and, very stupidly, put a hand on his back. He instantly whirled, caught my hand, stood up, and twisted my hand behind my back in a flash. My hand encased in his on the small of my back and chest against his heavy breathing one, I peered up at him confused, surprised, and downright aroused. He looked at me quite wildly for a second, than his eyes widened as he realized he incapacitated an "attacker" and his assailant was me.

"Bella," He breathed; his breath on my face and making rational thought impossible…again.

"Yes?" I asked breathlessly, looking up at his moonlit face through my lashes.

"What are you d-doing up?" He asked as he noted our proximity but made no move to release me.

"I could ask you the same thing," I retorted. He let me go and sank back on the bench.

"I couldn't sleep, I guess," He said.

"Ditto," I replied as I sat down facing the piano. He spun around and looked at the keys like they were foreign.

"You played beautifully," I said as if to remind him.

"There is something that has been plaguing my mind and I can't quite see strait because of it, let alone play right," He mused.

"THAT was not playing WELL!?" I gawked. He smiled at me and shook his head, "No, I meant that it didn't feel right, I suppose. That melody that I just played was one that has been flooding my mind, but I can't quite get it right on the piano…"

"You wrote that," I said flatly, "Is there ANYTHING you can't do?"

"I am sure there is SOMETHING I can't do," He said with a smile while he studied the keys. His fingers mounted his starting position and they started off slowly strumming the earlier melody. The song grew more complex by the note, however, and soon it sounded like a whole symphony rather than one piano. Edward commanded the keys into submission with perfect ease and watching his long hands operate was much more of an attractive movement than my imagination did a justice to. He ended the song on a trilling note and I was speechless.

"Wow," He whispered, "It sounded the way it was…supposed to…" he murmured as if to himself. He turned to me with giddy excitement, "Bella! I did it! I cannot tell you how long I have been working on that! It was just…so…so…my God, Bella are you crying?" He asked, his tone swung from excited to horrified in seconds flat.

"Not that way," I said with a laugh, "It was just a gorgeous song- beautiful doesn't begin to cover it." I wiped away the tears and was thankful that my nose wasn't runny and my eyes weren't puffy. Edward laughed and unexpectedly hugged me.

"Oh Bella," He breathed, and the scenes that I could insert that breathy sigh into made warmth flood from my center somewhere to my extremities, "Thank you."

"What?" I asked, completely confused. He pulled back and held me at arm's length.

"You helped me finish the song," He said, "You inspired it."

I was beyond speechless- I wouldn't have been surprised if he hadn't rendered me completely incapable of the English language.

"I-I couldn't h-have inspired something like, like that," I said with a shake of the head.

"And why not?" He asked crossly, "You are beautiful, sweet, and have, too, been swirling in my head the moment I met you." MY thoughts were the thoughts that were swirling, for he had inched closer to me during this declaration and spoke so passionately I thought him to be some sort of Shakespearian actor of sorts.

"You thought about me? Why should you?" I asked as he came closer to me.

"Because," He whispered, his face inches from mine, "I am fairly certain that I have fallen in love with you, Miss Swan." My heart stopped…as did my brain, nervous system, lungs, etc. I looked at him with a look of pure awe as one hand moved from my shoulder to the back of my neck and the other from my shoulder to the small of my back.

He said he loved me…he said he loved me…he said he loved me…

"So, if you will have me," ha! What an absurd thing to say! I would have laughed had he not completely paralyzed me, "I would very much like to be yours, Bella." His gaze flashed from my lips where he had been looking at and to my eyes in a stare that left me dangerously close to oxygen deprivation.

Because he had submitted me to nothing more than the ability to grunt, I replied by giving in to the darker desires and wrapped my arms around his neck, bridged the inches between us and kissed him fervently. He answered hungrily and effortlessly picked me out of my seat and set me down on the couch underneath him without breaking the kiss that left me craving more.

My legs wrapped around his waist and squeezed and his guttural groan aroused me so much I nearly clawed his clothes off right then and there. My hands knotted in his glorious hair and clutched his expertly-moving lips to mine. His tongue flashed across my bottom lips and I gasped aloud, lips parting.

Edward made no pause or acknowledgement to the fact that he was slowly driving me insane as he slipped his tongue into my mouth. It flicked the walls of my mouth and teased the surface of mine, leaving no surface untouched. His hands moved up and down my back, across my stomach, and at the edge of my bra before he pulled away with a gasp.

"I take that as a yes," He panted while still perched over me, his hair tantalizingly messy and my legs still around his waist.

"Yes, yes, yes, a million times yes," I whispered as I pulled him down again. He was not hard to sway as he answered by running his hands down my sides to my hips, were his hands very nearly encased the circumference of my waist. He pulled me into him and I arched my back to meet him and groaned when he pulled away.

"As much as I would love to ravish you, Miss Swan," He chuckled, "I think it best to take it slightly easy, especially under the respectable roof of my parents."

"How can you expect me to think clearly when you are distracting me like this?" I asked as I propped myself on one elbow and pulled him down on me with the other. He moaned as I slipped my tongue against his lips and trailed kisses up his jaw. My lips made their way to his ear and I whispered, "I love you, Edward Cullen." I have no idea what came over me, but I bit his earlobe slightly.

He growled, took my arms, and pinned me down.

"How can you expect me to be a gentleman when you are…are…well, seducing me?" He asked almost pleaded.

"Screw chivalry," I grumbled as I wriggled free of his half-hearted attempts to stop me. I sprung back on him and worked my way on top of him somehow. I straddled his waist and ran my hands under his shirt and up his chest.

"Oh my God, Bella," He gasped. He grabbed my arms, sat up, eased me off his lap, and held my hands behind me.

"You, my very fine seductress, are going to be the death of me," He said as he looked me in the eye. I laughed and grinned like the Cheshire cat.

"I should send you to bed," He said with a disappointed tug at one side of the lips.

"Can't I stay here?" I asked innocently.

"Hardly," He scoffed, "With your track record ALREADY? I could scarce imagine the mayhem you would start in the same bed as me."

I laughed, "You make me sound like some villainess."

"Am I, indeed," He muttered as he pulled me up by the hands and led me down the staircase. At the foot of the staircase he whirled around, encased me in his arms and kissed me senseless again. He pulled back with the largest grin to date.

"I am going to love the fact that I can do that," He said, "Hell, I love it now." I blinked rapidly and shook my head somewhat clear.

"Who is going to cause whose death now?" I asked rhetorically. He laughed and continued leading me out of his room and into mine. He picked me up and set me down carefully into my bed.

"The last time I did that I was a little more roughly," He laughed. He leaned over me and kissed me chastely; a sweet kiss not so blinded by lust. He pulled back and whispered, "Pleasant dreams, my Bella."

"I love you," I whispered.

"My heart is yours," He said simply. He left the room with one last wistful glance and I somehow found it easier to sleep knowing he was mine.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Wow, guys, sorry. I had no idea that the wait for the first kiss/start of relationship was so long. I thought that you guys were going to kill me for making it too fast, but you guys almost seemed sexually frustrated FOR Bella, lol. Here is the next day: **

Chapter Twelve

The morning sun played on my eyelids and woke me up from the best dream I had ever had. I sighed and rolled over when I realized how much I loved that dream…and how impossible it was. I heard a soft knock at the door and threw the covers over my head.

"I will be right out, Alice," I groaned/yelled. The musical chuckle at the door that haunted my dreams and definitely wasn't Alice's startled me into whipping the covers off of my head. Edward sat down on the bed near me and I sank near him as the bed sagged. He crouched over me and kissed my forehead.

"Good morning, my Bella," Edward said. My eyes fluttered a little and I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Oh good," I said, "It wasn't just a dream." My eyes flashed to Edward's curious ones as I realized I said that aloud and I blushed.

"What wasn't just a dream?" Edward asked. I flung my arms around his neck and buried my head into his chest.

"Last night…" I mumbled into his shirt.

"That sounds a little dirtier than it deserves to," His chuckle reverberated through his chest and me as his arms wound around me and crushed me to him. We both stiffened as a swift furry of knocks sounded on the door and laughed when Alice said, "Alright, you lovebirds, get ready for school."

"I'll leave you to get dressed," Edward said as he got off of my bed. I pouted and did as he told me after he left with a laugh. I chose a pair of low-rise jeans, a form-fitting wife beater and a denim half jacket. I stepped outside and downstairs and found Alice and Emmett eating waffles at the kitchen counter and Edward working over a waffle iron wearing the Kiss the Cook apron and stirring the waffle batter with a wooden spoon. He slid me a plate and I seized his face and planted a kiss on him. He nearly hurled the wooden spoon at the counter and wrapped his arms around my waist as he answered hungrily. I pulled back and whispered, "Your waffles are burning." Edward's eyes widened as he set me down and whirled to the waffles.

I turned and looked at Alice and Emmett who were both frozen (the latter with his mouth open and fork in air for a bite).

"Good morning," I said, ignoring their stares.

"Indeed it is a good morning, isn't it?" Alice said, and then muttered, "Much better than I thought…"

"We just wanted to do something worthy of the nickname 'lovebirds' that both of you so wonderfully bestowed upon us," Edward said over his shoulder.

"Jeez, Bella," Emmett laughed from the kitchen table, "Do any more of that and you will make Edward catch fire."

"Either from the abandoned waffle iron getting too hot or from HIM getting too hot, we don't know," Alice snickered. We laughed and I sat down at the table and drowned the waffles in strawberry syrup.

After Alice and I were done, we resumed our task of making lunches and the lot of us was ready to go about thirty minutes later.

"So, Alice," I said as Edward, Alice and I were on our way to school, "What exactly are your plans for this Thursday, again?"

"Well," She said, "Angela is one of the star players on the Girl's Varsity Volleyball team and they are playing our 'rivals' this Thursday. Because we live in such a small town, almost everyone in town comes."

That was interesting. In Phoenix, there were many other things to do on game nights and very little school spirit in the school despite its enormous size. I could pretty much imagine everyone packing into the modest-sized gymnasium for every game scheduled.

"Oh, that's cool," I said.

"Don't get so excited, Bella," Alice said sarcastically.

"No," I laughed, "It's just I have never really been to a school game before. I am sure it will be fun with you guys tomorrow night."

"Damn strait, Skippy," Alice said with a few bounces. I had a feeling she had some other agenda scheduled, but I didn't push the topic.

"By the way," She said, "Nice job with your outfit today; I approve."

"Yes!" I said with feigned enthusiasm, "I so strive for your seal of approval, Alice, thank you."

"I suppose you are right," She laughed as we pulled into a parking space and she got out, "I have to go talk to a teacher about some bogus test essay that I did right but he marked wrong; see you two."

"Later, Alice," I said, "And may God help that poor teacher," I added as Edward opened my door. He laughed and held my hand as I stood up.

"She was right, you know," He said as he closed my door.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"You look stunning," He murmured as he pushed me up against the Volvo. My breathing hitched and flat out stopped as he kissed me senseless right there in the parking lot. He pulled back with a dazzling grin.

"See?" He said, "I told you I was going to love being able to do that."

"I don't mind in the slightest," I said. I am pretty sure that I heard screaming in the background somewhere, but I was also sure that if the sky fell I wouldn't have noticed.

"I'll keep that in mind," He chuckled as he took my hand and led me to first hour. It was very hard to ignore the stares from everyone that I had seen the day previously, including the two huge guys from Art, Angela, Eric, Mike, Lauren, Jessica, etc. We arrived at the class and I was surprised that I did not spontaneously combust at the glares I received from almost every girl in the room save Alice. Edward saw their glares and looked at me apologetically before he went to sit down. He paused mid-step, turned back to me, caught me in his arms, and kissed me. I was pretty sure I heard the female populous, minus Alice, sigh, but I couldn't be sure because my head was spinning. He let me go and whispered, "I love you," in my ear with a very evident smile in his voice.

He left to his seat and I stumbled to mine across the room as the teacher came in and started taking role call.

"What the hell was that?" Jessica asked, snapping me out of my fog. I realized there were quite a few other people listening in with really poorly feigned nonchalance.

"I'm sorry?" I asked, knowing what she was talking about but trying to buy time.

"I thought you said you weren't with Cullen?" She asked as she visibly fumed in front of me.

"I am now," I answered simply, not really remembering when I said that I wasn't with him.

"Y-you are w-w-with him?!" She shrieked.

"Um, yeah?" I said like _duh_, "C'mon, Jessica, what do you think that was up there; Edward keeping my lips warm with his?" She opened and closed her mouth and huffed a few times trying to figure out what to say to that.

"You know he isn't good for you, Bella," Mike said from beside Jessica.

"I don't see how you can be the judge of that, Mike, but I will keep your ominous warning in mind," I said a tad sarcastically as I opened a novel and attempted to read it and relay to them that I was done with this conversation.

They weren't having that.

"How long have you been going out?" Jessica asked worriedly.

"Not long," I murmured around my book.

"Have you guys, like, done anything?" She asked, putting her bony fingers on my book and yanking it down to look at me. I sighed exasperatedly.

"Really, Jessica," I said as I slid my book out from under her hand, "Who are you trying to fool? We both know that you could care less about me and are only trying to get to Edward. I will save you the trouble of having to pretend to be my friend by saying that your little act is not working."

She looked at me like I slapped her and I used her stupor to dive behind my book and read until the teacher called the class to order.

He went over the placement test from yesterday as some people had questions how to do it and started a new lesson. While he was teaching how to do it, though, I was doing that night's homework and got it finished as he was finishing up the lesson. He wrapped up the lesson with ten minutes to spare and I went over to Alice and Edward and sat on the latter's desk to escape Jessica, Eric, and Mike.

"Trying to hide, Bella?" Alice said as she put her feet on the book basket welded under Edward's desk.

"Damn strait, Skippy," I quoted her earlier words. She and Edward laughed and Alice pulled out our earlier dots game that we played until the end of the period. Edward, Alice and I quickly left before anyone could make a scene.

We made our way to English the same way we did yesterday, only I didn't fall this time and cause a huge pile up, thankfully. We were laughing as Alice retold her story of her debate with her Government teacher about a test before the winter break and her impression of the teacher's evidently deep voice.

"It sounds epic, Alice," Edward said of her glorious victory.

"Oh, it t'was, dear brother, it t'was," She said. We sat down near Angela and we chatted some as the teacher came into the room. We started to read a short story in our textbook and were assigned the questions at the end of the story for homework.

It was annoyingly tedious.

The room seemed to sigh of relief as the bell rang.

"Hey Alice," Angela said on the way out, "Are you guys going to my game tomorrow?"

"Of course, Angela," Alice said with a roll of the eyes, "How much of a recluse do you take us for?"

"Oh, good," She breathed, "I'll feel a lot better with you guys there."

"No worries, Angela," Edward said with a smile. She and Alice skipped off to gym and Edward and I made our way to biology as quietly as the day before.

Biology, much like English unfortunately, was nothing new and special besides the fact that Edward would not let go of me; whether it be holding my hand or having an arm around my waist of having a hand on my thigh. I tried to keep my thoughts of him to a minimum (near impossible) so as not to tempt myself to do something "scandalous" as he would say.

He seemed to notice, because on the way to art he asked me about it.

"You seemed, I don't know, tense," He said, fishing for the right words.

"I was trying not to fling myself at you during bio," I laughed. He stopped, making me stop through our joined hands.

"Why on Earth would you do something like that?" He asked in mock furry as he pulled me to him. I was infinitely grateful for the invention of book bags; for they kept my hands free to knot in his hair. He pulled me closer and his hands memorized my face, back, and hair. I wanted to scream when he pulled back with a chuckle.

"Let's go 'express our inner selves' or something in art," He said as he fixed my hair that he so expertly teased. We walked into the room and I got a chill down my spine. I don't know why, but I felt very, very wrong. The hair on the back of my neck stood up and there was almost a tangible evil in the air.

I shrugged it off, though; I mean, c'mon, Jessica and Lauren were in here, right?

Edward didn't notice because there was barely anything to notice about me, I merely paused for a second and then shook it off. The room, however, was definitely something to marvel at- good or bad I don't know. Abstract pieces of metal were hanging from the ceiling and kept the eye tracing in a certain way toward the back of the room. Edward and I paused to look at the ceiling and followed the pattern towards the back where a gruesome looking piece of metal was. It looked like some sort of gnarled knife and we all looked at it in wonder and almost fear.

Our teacher is sane, right?

"Good afternoon class," our teacher's airy voice snapped us out of our reverie.

"I see you have noticed the new setup," she noted as everyone took their seats. Edward and I were closest to the knife-like thing. He eyed it warily as I started to sit down, and then he took my shoulders and put me in his seat by the window and farther away from the thing. He scooted his chair closer to me and smiled at me.

"Do you see what I did to the room?" She asked and we all looked at her like _oh, not at all_, "Today we are going to work on focal points. By situating the pieces on the ceiling in this manner, anywhere you look at the ceiling you subconscious will draw your eye to the back of the room to my focal point," she gestured to the twisted metal, "furthermore, by using a shocking piece as my focal point, it keeps your eye. The rest of the room draws your attention to the focal point, and the focal point keeps your attention."

She's got that right. I could almost feel the heat that the blade-like metal let off with its intensity. The odd thing was that I didn't think that the set-up of the room caused me to be so freaked out at the beginning of class. The blade was forceful, yes, but not really evil.

But, hey, I am going insane anyways.

"I want you to use any medium of your choice," the teacher went on, "to show me some sort of focal point. Your work is due next Friday. Begin!" And with that she disappeared behind her desk in a flourish of shawls and gaudy beads.

"I have to disagree with her, you know," Edward said.

"Disagree with what?" I asked.

"That thing in the back of the room doesn't hold my attention," He said casually, "not with you here in comparison."

I rolled my eyes and pecked his cheek, "More comparing me to art, are we?"

He laughed and nodded.

"So what are you going to do?" Edward asked, "For real this time; don't lie."

"I honestly don't know," I sighed, "Drawing you gave me an excuse to stare at you, but I don't think that it would be prudent to do you again."

"To do me?" He laughed, "You have a knack for making things sound dirty, Miss Swan." I blushed slightly and ducked behind a notebook. He chuckled, leaned towards me, pushed the notebook down onto my lap, and kissed me chastely. I smiled at him as he laughed again and we started to plan out what we were going to do.

One and a half hours later and I was still lost.

The bell rang and I let out a frustrated sigh. We picked up our bags and went on our way to meet Alice to get the freak out of there.

"You still don't know what you are going to do?" Edward guessed.

"Pretty much," I sighed, "Do you?"

"Nope," He said, popping the "p", "but we have over a week to do it; we should be ok."

"Hey guys!" Alice called as she skipped over to us- the girl was seriously mental.

"Hi Alice," Edward chuckled at her mode of transportation.

"So let's get home," She sighed, "I have tons of homework and have to finish before tonight."

So we skipped going to the garage that day and went to the Cullen's, where we found Carlisle and Esme reading in the front room. Is that all they did when they weren't busy being a doctor and a lawyer? They greeted us the same old way- with a smile and small talk –and we went up to Edward's room to do homework. Alice left after about thirty minutes, though, claiming she couldn't concentrate.

"Am I that distracting, Alice?" I asked sarcastically, "I mean I know I am gorgeous but—" I was cut off by a pillow to the face courtesy of Alice.

"Yeah, whatever," She laughed as she left the room.

"I find you distracting," Edward said as he finished up his bio homework.

"Likewise," I murmured as I concentrated on the book on the bed in front of me. I was lying on my stomach on the bed with the book in front of me and Edward was sitting on the couch across the room.

"How could I be distracting?" He asked me.

"Well, you dazzle me most of the time, making coherent thought impossible," I said while still looking at the book in front of me, "much less coherent speech," I added in a mumble. He laughed and lounged on the couch while I finished.

I made the mistake of looking at him just before I was done and my breath caught.

Edward was lying on his couch, hands behind head and the picture of ease, with his eyelids closed and his long lashes casting shadows on his face. A faint smile was tracing his lips. My eyes wondered from his messily gorgeous hair, down his strong jaw, past his throat, and to the chest that lay exposed by his slightly unbuttoned shirt.

I shook my head and tried to focus on my homework.

_Focus, Bella! __During which stage of______**meioses…Edward's eyes…**__is the diploid number of chromosomes…look at him, you know you want him…reduced to the haploid number of chromosomes?...What was that question? Damn it…_

I was so busy having a mental battle trying not to think about Edward that I didn't really pay attention to the real Edward; so imagine my surprise when he appears at my side, rolls me onto my back, pins my hands above my head, and kisses me senseless on his bed.

I squeaked in surprise, and then moaned in pleasure. My hands were on my bio book and I flipped it easily off the bed while still under his clutches. The book landed with a muted thud on his thick carpet and one of Edward's hands ran from my hand, down my arm, and to the side of my face. My legs somehow found their way to his waist and wrapped themselves around it. They clutched him like he was their lifeline; what kept them functioning.

Edward pulled back with an astonished look on his face.

"I am so sorry," He said with wide eyes, "I have no idea what came over me…" He murmured, furrowing his brows as if to will his reasoning to him.

"I don't care what made you do it –I should probably thank it," I said while trying to breathe, "–but why on Earth did you stop?" I yanked my hands out from under his and threw myself at him again, legs still wrapped around his waist. He answered as if he hadn't held a woman before in his life, and the thought that he wanted me and has never wanted a girl before made me giddy. His arms wrapped around me and held me to him as he kissed me. His kiss was criminal; it left me wanting, and the wanting sort of frightened me. It was a sort of want that I never wanted satisfied –or, rather, the sort of wanting that you NEED satisfied but you are not certain it will EVER be satisfied. My lower stomach twisted in knots and I was not sure what I could do to remedy it. His kisses seemed to work, though, so I succumbed myself to him as he overtook me.

He released my mouth and allowed me much-needed oxygen, but his lips never left my skin. He traced my jaw, neck, collarbone, and back and I wanted to scream. I clutched his hair and pulled him back to me. He pushed back from me and gasped, "Wait…a…minute…" He panted around the words and his rested his head in the crook of my neck and breathed heavily against my skin as he was crouched over me on the bed.

We both lay there panting for a second and I tried to remember what happened. He lifted his head and looked at me with an apologetic expression.

"I really have no idea where that came from," He said with an impish smile.

"I bring out the worst in you do I?" I teased. His eyes got visibly darker and he sighed. He sat up on the bed and leaned up against a bedpost. He ran a hand through his now-more-messed-up hair and huffed, "What am I going to do with you?" I propped myself up on one elbow facing him and smiled, completely amused.

"Am I that frustrating?" I asked amusedly.

"No I am the one that is frustrated," He murmured.

"But I made you frustrated," I said, worried that I might actually have upset him.

"Not in the angry sort of frustrated, Bella," He said with a roll of the eyes. I stared at him blankly, completely missing his meaning.

"_Sexually_ frustrated, Bella," He said flatly. My eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. He laughed at my expression and my eyes narrowed. I stood up on my knees on the bed and his laughter ceased when my hands found the hem of my already skin-tight shirt.

"Bella," He said warningly. He got up and started to back away slowly. I flicked off the shirt effortlessly and smirked as his eyes, seemingly against his crumbling gentleman's will, traced every line of the lacy bra.

"Bella, please," He begged.

"Oh, you want more?" I purred as I crawled off of his bed and stood at the end of his bed. He gulped, now only about a few feet from me. I undid the button of my jeans and slowly unzipped it, the sound of every one of the teeth of the zipper coming undone and Edward's haggard breathing were the only sounds in the room.

"Bella, I am not made of iron over here," He said hoarsely as he started to back up again. I eased the jeans over my hips and walked towards him, the jeans falling to my ankles on my way towards his retreating form. He made a somewhat strangled sound when he saw my matching hot pants under the jeans and backed away more.

"Bella, be reasonable," He said. I took long strides to keep up with him and he spun around me because he had run out of room. I stalked him with a smirk, amazed I didn't feel self conscious in my underwear right with him, across the room. He tripped and fell backwards on the ground on this rotation because he was watching me and not where he was going. I strode to him and stood over him, feet on either side of his hips.

"Make me yours, Edward," I whispered.

"Oh my God, Bella," He gasped as he grabbed the back of my knees and pulled them forward. I let out yet another surprised squeak as I fell towards him, but he was ready and caught me from his trip. He seized my hips that were now rubbing his and pulled me closer. I ripped open his shirt the rest of the way and pushed his shirt off of his shoulders. He moaned into my mouth as my hands traveled his stomach and his mouth explored mine.

I pushed him back onto his very conveniently placed and comfy rug and swiped the books that had fallen from the bed out of the way. I knelt over him and kissed down his chest; it was very evident to see and feel his arousal as I pressed my stomach into him and I kissed every plane of muscle to his navel.

"Bella," He breathed, "Good Lord, Bella!"

I smiled up at him with quite possibly my most devious smile to date as I unbuttoned his jeans button. I unzipped his jeans and he launched himself upwards towards me and held my hands. He muttered something that I was pretty sure was a curse word.

"Bella, you have to stop before I completely lose control," He panted. I smiled and looked at him through my lashes, "but you are FRUSTRATED. I am just going to help you." I used his shock to push him back down and mount his thighs as I pulled his pants and boxers out of the way of my target.

I was going to make damn sure he wasn't "frustrated" when I was done with him.

…………………………………………………………………..

Curse freaking chivalry; the fact that he was such a gentleman only made me want him MORE. Every one of his actions only left me wanting more; like some sort of sick, insatiable thirst. He completely shut me down before I could help him, claiming a cold shower is all he would use.

"You almost made me take you, Isabella Swan," He scolded as he held me on his bed, tracing patterns into my stomach absentmindedly.

"I would say I am sorry but that would be a lie," I mumbled.

"I like the change of uniform, though," He said as he eyed the bra and underwear. He was clad in boxers as well, but I still wanted to rip them off and…ah! I shook my head to dispel the powerful wave of lust and tried to satisfy myself with a chaste kiss.

"There," He sighed after the peck, "It would appear that I may be able to touch you in school tomorrow without having sequels of what just happened in front of everyone."

"I don't know if I can say the same," I said with a laugh.

"Oh, you mean you will corner your all-too willing boyfriend and strip in art or something?" He challenged.

"You aren't all-too willing," I mumbled. He laughed and kissed my hair.

"Sorry; of all the guys you could have ended up with and you got one with morals," He joked.

"It is so confusing," I said, "The fact that you actually do respect me makes me want you more –it makes no sense."

"Well, practically everything you do makes me shut down with lust, so I think we are even," He admitted.

"Really?" I asked him skeptically as I looked up at him. He nodded earnestly, "Especially the whole lying on my bed with your shirt not doing much to cover yourself up, kissing me on my bed (albeit I started that), and peeling off your clothes telling me to 'make you mine'. You don't know HOW that is going to keep me up tonight." He sighed.

"I could stay if you want…you know, to help you if you feel frustr—"

"No, Bella," He laughed, "Again strikes the seductress. I don't want Carlisle, Esme, and Charlie getting the wrong idea…which might be the RIGHT idea the way your thoughts are headed."

"True," I laughed.

"So, um, about your biology homework," Edward said uneasily, "Were you almost done before you were so rudely interrupted?"

"There was certainly nothing rude about it," I informed him, "but yes, I was almost done." I got dressed under the very watchful eye of Edward and finished up my homework without interruption…unfortunately. We stayed in his room when we were done; enjoying each other's company and not wanting to get berated by anyone downstairs.

"I am afraid I am going to be insufferably selfish," Edward said as he drew me into his side on the bed, "I may never let you go."

"No arguments here," I said as I pressed the side of my face into his chest. We started talking about mainly nothing: his and my nonexistent past love life, his siblings, etc. I again more or less made him commandeer the conversation like I did when I first met him.

"Bella, why do you never talk about yourself?" He asked me, exasperated.

"There isn't much to tell. The most interesting thing about me is I somehow managed to get you," I said simply. He sighed and rolled his eyes.

"That is hardly an achievement," He sulked in an adorable pout, "I don't want to talk all the time, it makes me feel like I am boring you by talking your ear off."

"There is no way you could bore me, Edward," I said flatly, "Coming from your lips, sea cucumbers would sound perfectly fascinating." He laughed and shrugged.

"Your view of me is ridiculous," He said.

"I do believe that most strait, sane females would agree with me," I said matter-of-factly.

"And here you have us talking about mainly me again," He said exasperatedly.

I laughed, "It is either an art or a habit."

"Was it terribly bad," He asked in a tense whisper, "your childhood?"

There was a long pause and I sighed, "It wasn't good, if that helps."

"I understand if you don't really want to talk about it," He murmured and kissed my hair.

"I was rather surprised that Renee reacted that way," I said.

"In what way?" He asked.

"In a maternal way," I said in a low voice.

"She wasn't one to do that, then?" He asked just as quietly.

"Not in the slightest," I said in an almost bitter voice. He squeezed me tighter to him and whispered, "I am sorry."

"A lot of people are," I said, "but you have no reason to be. It was just an unfortunate set of events."

"I admire your courage, Bella," He said.

"I am not all that wonderfully courageous," I shrugged, "It wasn't really my choice to slam the chair that immobilized Phil into his face; just an instinctive thing."

"Well, it is better than if you just shut down in fear and let him…well, you know…" He said and shuddered at what might have happened if I hadn't incapacitated Phil.

"What do you say we go see what the others are doing?" I asked to change the subject. He pushed me on my back and kissed me.

"I take that as a 'no'?" I whispered a few seconds later when he trailed kisses down to my neck. He laughed against my skin and pulled back to look at me.

"I love you, Isabella Swan," He said.

"I'm yours," I said, "Well, not yet, technically. But I could be yours…so easily…" I said and then sighed. He groaned and sat up, pulling me with him. He took my hand and led me out of the room.

"Yes, yes," He said, "Let's go before I do something that I desperately want to but really, really shouldn't."

_Drat. _

…………………………………………………………………..

We came downstairs and found Emmett, Rose, Alice, and Jasper all in swim suits and headed out the door. Alice turned around in time to catch us looking at them puzzled.

"Oh, hey guys!" Alice squeaked, "We were just going to the lake. We were going to invite you guys but you sounded…um…busy." She said with a tentative smile. I blushed a deep crimson and studied the floor. Emmett laughed from outside and called, "As long as you are done, or on a commercial break, why don't you come with us?"

Edward squeezed my hand and said, "Sure we'll meet you there." And with that he spun me around and retreated upstairs. I went in my room to change after teasing Edward by asking him if he wanted to help me get dressed and did the deed myself. I chose a deep blue bikini with tassels at the hips tying them together. I put on a thin, long, white wrap around my hips and walked out of the room after ruffling my hair a little.

I walked by Edward's open door thinking he was downstairs waiting for me, but a long, strong arm extended from his room in a flash and roped me in. For what seemed the millionth time that day I made a surprised sound right before he pushed me up against door and kissed me. I answered back with fervor and threw myself into the kiss. I was infinitely grateful that he did not have a shirt on and my hands commenced with memorizing the planes of his face, chest, back, and neck.

He again traveled down my jaw, throat, and then collar bone, whispering in between kisses, "What am I going to do with you?"

"I think you have the right idea," I gasped. He groaned and pushed me up against the door rougher as he grabbed one of my thighs and hitched it over his hip. I curled my foot around his back and squeezed him closer, eliciting an audible moan from him.

"Oh God, Edward," I whispered. It felt as though he left a blaze of fire behind his hands over my hips, thighs, back, stomach, etc. I gasped when his hand brushed the side of my breast and an electric shock ran through me.

"I am sorry," He said quickly, "I don't know where that came from…I guess I don't know where a lot of this is coming from," He sighed against the skin of my neck.

"Yes, yes," I said impatiently, "I bring out the worst in you; that was already established." I shook my head, grabbed his hand, and put it on my breast. We both gasped; him out of shock and me out of pleasure. I pulled him back to my lips and his hand explored me in a different way than before. His hand went under the fabric of the bikini and cupped my bare chest. My back, on its own accord, arched into his touch that sent ripples through my body in unseen, liquid waves of heat pouring out of my core and to my extremities.

We froze as a few knocks on the other side of the door we were up against rippled through us.

"I believe the others are waiting for you, Edward," Esme's pleasant voice came through the room. Edward kissed the small stretch of skin in between the swells of my breast and smiled at me as he said, "Thanks, mom."

I got the idea that Esme was trying to convey –this was still a respectable house that she and Carlisle was supposed to look after me for Charlie. I also noticed that she didn't indicate knowledge to my presence in his room, but it was pretty evident she knew. Edward slowly slid his hand out from under my bikini, his hand teasing my nipple and making me groan, and picked up the wrap that I hadn't realized he had taken off.

"Shall we?" He offered as he gently peeled me off from the door he plastered me on before and opened it for me.

"Let's," I sighed as I took one last look at his room. He laughed and kissed my cheek.

"You make it look like we'll never be back," He teased. I shrugged and we set off for the lake. The walk was silent and peaceful as we basked in the intervals of warm sunshine and cool shade cast by the vines.

We made it to the lake in about five minutes and saw Alice, Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett playing chicken. I was confused, though, because you would think that with Emmett's sheer strength and Rose's long arms they would dominate, but Alice and Jasper were winning. Alice's small size allowed Jasper to move easily and nimbly and have, I suppose, a more stable center of gravity.

Alice ducked out of the way of one of Rose's arms, took her arm, and yanked her forward as Jasper stepped to the side and made way for Rosalie and Emmett who were falling.

"Timber!" called Edward with a hand to the side of his mouth. We all winced as Rose shrieked and fell into the water with Emmett. They didn't detach underwater, however, so they didn't quite lose yet. Emmett fought to right Rose on his shoulders and jumped in place. Unfortunately for Rose, however, her hair sailed around her head wrapped around her face –effectively immobilizing her vision. Her hands flew to her face but it was in vain; for Alice and Jasper had gained speed and pushed them over again.

Poor Emmett couldn't recover and Rose fell off a second time. They both surfaced and Rose said, with a bunch of hair still in her face and sputtering out water, "Have I MENTIONED how much I HATE that game!?"

"Frequently," Alice, Jasper, Emmett, and Edward all said at the same time. She huffed, went underwater, and came back up looking nothing like the disheveled Rose that went under after fixing her hair.

"Bella!" Emmett called, "Excellent, you are here!"

"I am not playing chicken, Emmett," I said flatly.

"No, no, why would I waste your talents on a game that otherwise INFURIATES Rose?" Emmett said with an impatient wave of the hand.

"My…talents…" I said slowly and warily.

"Why, yes; you are my lake diving buddy." Emmett said simply.

"When did I sign up for THAT job?" I asked.

"When you jumped off of that tree branch I sort of drafted you," Emmett said. Before I could argue, he cut in with a "But anyways, I found a new place to jump from."

"Emmett," Edward said in a warning tone.

"Hey dude, the chick can dive. I won't hurt her," Emmett said. He swam to the other side of the lake to a tree that was huge but I hadn't paid much attention to before. He climbed up it nimbly up a good sixty feet to a branch that went well over the lake.

He stood up on the ledge with amazing balance and dexterity. After looking at us and smiling a huge smile we could see clearly across the lake, he spread his arms out and cried "I AM POCAHONTAS!" as he sailed off of the branch in a swan dive. His hulking form speared the water in a less-than-graceful series of splashes. He surfaced a few seconds later cackling maniacally.

"You're up next. Bella!" He called.

"Bella," Edward said lowly, his hand shooting out and grasping my arm.

"Edward," I answered. He looked at me with worry in his eyes.

"I don't want you getting hurt," He whispered.

"Of course you don't," I said, "and neither does Emmett. Chill, Edward. It isn't that high up and I have done higher."

He uneasily let me go and looked at me helplessly as I swam across the lake and scaled the tree. I eased my way out onto the branch and was impressed at the height –it was nothing to sneeze at. I was more surprised, however, that I felt no fear. I merely stood up and stepped off. In mid-air I decided that Emmett would want me to dive, so I flipped around in an impressive swirl and plunged in the water without so much as a small set of waves. I surfaced and everyone was clapping mockingly and laughing at my display. I laughed with them and then I saw Edward. He looked immensely relieved, but just a bit anxious so I decided to go over to him so he would deem me a survivor.

"Did I pass?" I asked Emmett sardonically as I swam past him to shore.

"Hell yes you did!" Emmett said while punching the air and letting out a whooping sound. I laughed and walked over to Edward. He smiled at me and I said, "So now that you are breathing again, how was it?"

"Well," He said coyly as he wound his arms around my waist, "I WAS holding my breath –but not only because I was anxious. You looked simply spell-bounding."

"Glad to hear it," I said. I looked at his dry hair and suit and frowned.

"You are still dry," I pouted. He laughed and pulled me in for a swift kiss. He pulled back and whispered in his silken voice, "I'll get wet for you," in my ear. That dizzying statement made my head spin with lust. This was part of his plan, though, as he crouched down, slung me over his shoulder and jumped into the lake. I laughed as I resurfaced, taking his joke lightly.

"There," I said teasingly, "now you are wet for me."

He closed his eyes and shook his head as he groaned.

"Yet another statement that is going to keep me up tonight," I muttered.

"You already know my solution to that problem," I said with a smirk. A hungry look flashed across his face, but he shook his head to dispel his thoughts and sunk underwater. I looked around the lake again in the odd quiet that ensued. Rose and Emmett were on the shore fiddling with the sand and Jasper and Alice found their way to their spot in the tree. The sunlight danced on the water and played with the wind on the branches and moss that hung from the weeping willows. Their massive trunks and branches seemed to flex towards the air and over the lake in a protective manner of their territory. The grass was blown away from the lake and looked like their delicate forms were cowering under the colossal trees for cover.

I sighed and floated on the surface, tracing the moss and branches above me with my eyes. I realized my mistake a moment too late, however, because I knew that I was very prone in the company of very devious people. I felt two hands on my hips underwater the same time I felt two hands on my shoulders and two on my legs. The next moment the three people under me hurled me into the air. I let out ANOTHER surprised yelp and landed with a splash and someone caught my torso.

I looked to the arms of my savior/traitor and saw Edward smiling at me while Jasper and Emmett were laughing.

"Gotcha," Edward, Emmett and Jasper said at the same time. Emmett and Jasper yelled it in a teasing manner while Edward murmured it in a seductive leer: I didn't know whether to slap him or kiss him.

"You certainly did," I said breathlessly, "Is there some law against relaxing around here?"

"There certainly is!" Emmett said. Edward shrugged and set me down in the waist-deep water. I rolled my eyes and we continued to banter on until the sun went down. Seeing how we didn't want to get eaten by mosquitoes (or a hungry Emmett), we decided to head back to the house.

The trip back was perilous for me. If it wasn't for Edward holding my waist, I would have tripped a million and one times before I got back. He said he "liked the excuse for holding me", so I didn't feel too bad, but that didn't stop the blush from singeing my cheeks.

The Hale's said their goodbyes when we got back and drove off which left three bored Cullen's and me.

"We need to do something," Alice finally decided after us lounging about after showers in the living room.

"Like what, Alice?" Emmett groaned, "It is almost nine and we have school tomorrow. Esme and Carlisle won't let us get out." Looking at an Emmett in his twenties sulk about his parents not letting him out of the house after nine made me giggle a little, but I stifled it in time.

"We don't NEED to leave," She said deviously. We all eyed her warily as she looked around the room as if scoping the place out.

"You know what this means," She started.

"Alice—" Edward warned before Alice screeched "HIDE AND SEEK!"

"Alright," Emmett said after a moment's contemplation, "but only if we call it 'man hunt'."

"Call it whatever you want," Alice said with a dismissive wave of the hand, "The boundaries are no going outside of doors and you CAN move your hiding spot, got it?" We nodded.

The next moment confused me. Alice, Emmett, and Edward each put their fingers on their noses, looked at me looking at them in pure puzzlement, and burst out laughing. I cocked my head to the side while the laughter ceased.

"What just happened?" I asked.

"You're it!" They all shouted. Again, I caught on a moment too soon. I rolled my eyes, put a hand over my face, and started counting to the set number of forty-five. It felt childish, but I welcomed the feeling. I didn't have many friends due to the fact that I was afraid of anyone coming too close and finding out my secret as a child; thus I didn't play games like this too much.

_Leave it to the Cullen's to get you up-to-date on all of your childhood activities when you are seventeen going on eighteen, _I thought with a soft chuckle. I didn't know their house very well, so I started with the basics.

I pretty much thought that Emmett was going to be the easiest to find because he would be the hardest to conceal. I wondered around the living room looking behind curtains and potted plants in corners. Every cabinet of downstairs was checked except for the one under the staircase.

I pushed open the door and saw ANOTHER staircase; this one leading down rather than up, however.

"So you aren't a broom closet," I noted in wonder as I switched on a light in the stairwell. I crept downstairs as silent as a mouse and switched on the den light that revealed a cozy little windowless bedroom. The rose-scented room was warm for some reason so I tugged at the hoodie I was wearing to conceal the cotton shorts and tank top. I pulled it off and laid it on the top stair so I would grab it on my way out.

On the way back down into the room, however, I thought I heard breathing. I froze and listened, but the only breathing I heard was mine so I progressed into the room. I resisted the urge to fan myself as I noted the heat; it didn't make sense! Didn't hot air RISE? The heat wasn't unpleasant, though, because it was only about seventy-five once my body got used to it. I took in the king sized bed, cool stereo system and mini bar vaguely because I was trying to root out the hiding spots so I could go upstairs. One odd detail that my eyes, for some reason, detected was that the stereo system was missing its remote.

I was looking under the bed when I heard the door at the top of the stairs slam shut and heard the faint click of a lock. My head popped up from under the bed and peered upstairs where I could see a pair of feet's shadow and could hear faint laughter coming from the slit under the door.

"Crap," I heard a muffled voice that came from the closet say. My head whirled to the closet and I saw two feet kick open the doors and Edward gracefully jump down from the top shelf that was about seven feet off of the ground.

"How did you-" I started to ask, but then asked, "Do you have a thing for hanging out in closets?" He quirked a smile at me and he took the carpeted stairs two at a time and wrestled with the knob.

"Emmett! Alice!" Edward yelled. I noticed my state of undress and asked him if my hoodie was there.

"Hoodie?" He asked, "There isn't anything here…"

He trailed off as we heard faint music in the background grow into a mood-setting theme in the room and the lights dimmed.

Let's Get It On by Marvin Gaye started playing in the room and I froze; the pieces fell into place. The warmer temperature, the missing stereo remote that Emmett no doubt had right now and was cackling maniacally like he did this afternoon, and the missing hoodie. The faint breathing was probably one of them above me in the stairwell waiting for me to get farther into the room. I whirled anxiously to look at Edward and he was looking back at me from the top of the staircase with a clenched jaw and tight eyes.

"I've been really tryin', baby  
Tryin' to hold back this feelin' for so long  
And if you feel like I feel, baby  
Then come on, oh, come on  
Whoo, let's get it on"

Edward backed up against the door, closed his eyes, and rocked his head back and forth while taking deep breaths.

"Ah, babe, let's get it on  
Let's love, baby  
Let's get it on, sugar  
Let's get it on  
Whoo-ooh-ooh"

Were Emmett and Alice insane!? I backed up awkwardly trying to give him space, even though there was already a staircase in between us, but fumbled on the rug and fell at the foot of the bed.

"Are you alright?" His low voice barely made it above the soft music. My eyes flashed to his and widened at the sultry tone of his voice.

"Y-yeah, I am okay…" I managed to get out. I looked at the space under the door where I saw the feet shadows retreat into the room above, and then as they came back. The shadow got bigger as the person squatted down; I guessed it was Alice from the sparkle of the slippers she wore. A nozzle of some sort was put under the door and I cocked my head to the side, thoroughly distracted. Edward followed my eyes and looked at the nozzle with the same puzzlement; Marvin Gaye playing tantalizingly in the background all of the while.

"Alice!" Edward shouted when a thick fog erupted from the nozzle slowly. Soon the whole of the stairwell was covered in smoke. I heard Edward coughing and saw his white hand guiding him down the staircase before I saw him.

"There's nothin wrong with me  
Lovin you--- And givin yourself to me can never be wrong  
If the love is true"

Edward stumbled down the staircase as these lyrics poured out of the system and fell right at my feet on all fours. My legs were still more or less at a 45 degree angle from MY fall and I was leaning up against the foot of the bed. Both of our eyes were huge as they met, and the intensity of his gaze stunned me beyond reason.

My gaze must have done the same thing to him, however, because his eyes darkened and he approached me much like he did on the tree branch the first time he went to the lake with me. He prowled over me with his knees in between my thighs and his hands on either side of the bed frame to the right and left of my head. My eyes nearly rolled out of my skull when he spread his knees, forcing my legs open.

"Edward," I meant it to be a warning, but it came out in a pleasurable sigh. He groaned and slid his hands from the bed to my face, down my face, down my chest, and to my hips. He slid my off of the floor and pulled me up his thighs so I was straddling his waist. My arms hung as limp as noodles as I completely succumbed to his every touch.

The fan momentarily distracted us as it started really fast. Rose petals fluttered from on top of the wide blades of the fan and sprinkled onto the bed and surrounding area. Some fell onto our hair and I plucked one or two out of his hair. I tried not to look into his eyes because I could feel his penetrating gaze heating my cheeks. I supposed that the radio remote doubled as a fan remote and Alice and Emmett had started it.

I let out a sigh when "Let's Get It On" came to a close, but groaned when "Sexual Healing" by none other than Marvin Gaye came on. His hands slid down the length of my legs and wrapped them around his back. He then stood up effortlessly with me perched on his front and set me on the bed. I thought he was going to follow, but he stood at the foot of the bed with me in a quite promiscuous position that he put me in. He set his hands on the bed and hung his head.

"So…much…need," he murmured in a tense whisper. I was torn. I REALLY wanted to crawl to him like he did me and kiss him senseless, but I knew that would leave us both wanting more. I sighed and got up –the last thing I wanted to do. I held my breath and went up the smoky stairway. Thankfully I have dealt with locked doors when it came to Phil, so I didn't much have trouble finding its weakness and kicking it open. The gush of cool, fresh air was just what I needed to be infuriated with Alice and Emmett.

The aforementioned criminals WERE sitting comfortably in the living room, but their heads snapped in my direction with wide eyes and open mouths.

"Holy shit," Emmett whispered, "Damn, Bella. You look like some sort of avenging angel; what with the smoke pouring out of the room and your…um…expression…" He mumbled the end; probably taking in my murderous expression.

"I am not feeling angelic, Emmett," I hissed. Edward stumbled in behind me and gasped in the non-intoxicating air. I snatched up the remote and turned off the downstairs music and fan.

"If you clean up downstairs," I said in a low voice, "I will consider not telling Carlisle and Esme when they get home and/or killing you violently."

Emmett was about to protest but I silenced him with one glare. They both raced downstairs and shut the door behind them. I was tempted to lock the door, but I thought better of it somehow. Edward sagged against the wall; probably one big raging hormone. I didn't know how to approach him seeing how contact with me seemed to be the problem.

"Are you alright?" I repeated his earlier question softly. He laughed a sharp laugh.

"You mean besides the fact that I almost went primal on you and..." He cut himself off with a bite of his lower lip and resting his head against the wall and closing his eyes. I laughed a little at his obvious frustration. His eyes flashed open and looked at me with another hungry expression.

"You know, Edward," I said, "You are in a lot of trouble if something as simple as my laugh turns you on."

"I know," He said in a tense whisper, "Your scent, your touch, your laughter…your taste…" He trailed off and shook his head.

"You are not a criminal, you know," I said softly, "I feel it too: the want, the need."

He strode across the room with swiftness that left me startled and took my shoulders.

"I am determined not to take you, Isabella Swan," He said with a fierce, penetrating gaze into my eyes, "Not until we are…well…married." I froze in his arms as he looked at me warily.

"Do you mean you want to…" I trailed off, completely stunned. He nodded in earnest. I shook my head from side to side with wide eyes.

"Does that mean you are saying no?" He asked as he quickly removed his hands from my shoulders.

"Well, jeez Edward!" I said exasperatedly, "MARRIAGE at SEVENTEEN?"

"No," He corrected, "At whatever age you want. Just sometime in the next, oh I don't know, ten years?" I sighed in relief.

"Do you think you would say yes?" He asked me tentatively and curiously.

"Of course I'd marry you, Edward," I said, "Just not now…obviously." His answering smile was dazzling. He took my shoulders again and kissed me fiercely. My knees buckled under my weight, but he caught my lower back with one hand and my upper with the other and pressed me into him. My arms wrapped around his neck and hands in his hair as he held me. He pulled back and kissed from my mouth, over my jaw, and to my ear.

"I want you in every way possible, Miss Swan," He whispered. My head spun, needless to say. There were a million and one cheesy things to say to that, so I came up with the original, ever-so coherent, "mhm," in reply. I shook my head and whispered, "I want you."

He pulled back with a tight jaw and a smile in his eyes as he held me at arms length.

"This is not going to be easy, to say the least," He murmured. His fingers swept the length of my cheekbone in a soft caress as he smiled at me. I leaned into his touch, caught his fingers and kissed each finger. He groaned and slid his hand from the front of my lips to the back of my head and pulled me in for another kiss.

"Um," Alice said uncertainly from the doorway to the stairwell. Emmett was behind her looking at us meekly with a garbage bag full of rose petals. Edward sighed against my lips and released my face, but held my hand.

"Yeah…um," Alice started again, "I would kind of say we're sorry, but that was just plain genius, c'mon!"

I had to admit they were sneaky little matchmakers.

"I just wanted to know, however," Edward started, "How did you know that I would hide there and how did you set all of that up?"

"Oh, we have our ways," Alice said mischievously.

"Right," I said, drawing out the word, and then carried on briskly with, "Well, I am going to try to forget that you two are complete sadists and move on."

They laughed and went upstairs with a couple of goodnights. Edward walked me up to my room and kissed me goodnight before disappearing into his room with one last smile. The knots in my stomach refused to unwind as I fell into a restless slumber about the green-eyed phantom of my dreams.

**A/N: I call it "Sexual Frustration Chapter" Haha. Mainly fluff, yes, but next chapter is going to have some direction –I just needed some classic Emmett/Alice prank time…at Edward and Bella's expense… ******** Creative License, right?**


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

The next morning went as smoothly as the last. After a breakfast, payment of breakfast (Kiss the Cook), lunch-making, and "last-minute touches" on appearance by Alice, we were on our merry way to school.

"Ugh," Alice groaned in the backseat, "I really want the school day to be over…"

"How is it that you can come back from winter break, be in school for less than four days, and want the weekend so badly?" I asked.

"Have you forgotten who we go to school with?" Alice asked flatly.

"Say no more," I said with a laugh.

Alice's wish came true faster than thought possible. It seemed that the upcoming game had even the teachers excited. Banners framed the halls and doors to classrooms of the "Go Spartans!" variety. We were going to be given extra credit in all of our classes if we presented a ticket stub to our teachers that proved we went and we all had no homework –a very foreign thing to me especially because of the long weekend coming up; but hey, who was I to argue?

School passed without much adieu: in Calculus we had a short quiz, in English we started to read our book, in Biology we learned about the bowels of frogs that we were going to dissect come Monday, and Art was one and a half hours of thinking…again.

The bell rang for last hour and kids swarmed the parking lot and talked animatedly about tonight's game. Edward, Alice, and I managed to see Angela before we left and we wished her luck on that night's game; even though it was hard to get to her around the flocks of people that flanked her talking "strategy" of the volleyball game.

We maneuvered the crowds to the car, got in, and headed for the garage seeing how we had no homework and Alice wanted to see Jasper. Edward opened my door as Alice launched out of her door and into Jasper. They embraced for a few minutes so Edward and I decided to head inside around them.

Rose and Emmett were chilling in their lounge, lunches in hand. We sat down at the table and started to eat, too. Jasper and Alice came in about five minutes later.

"Jeez, that has to be some sort of record," Emmett muttered around his sandwich.

"Can it, Em, or I'll unleash the dirt I have on you," Alice said cheerily as she sat down next to Jasper. Jasper looked at her with a proud smile on his face as Emmett sunk back into his chair.

"Oh crap!" Alice said suddenly, frantically searching her pockets.

"What's the matter?" Jasper asked.

"I forgot my phone in my gym locker," She pouted.

"That's okay," Rose reminded, "You can just get it tonight. So are you guys pumped for tonight's game?" Rose asked us.

"Yes!" Alice said immediately. We laughed at her enthusiasm/ mood swing.

"Oh," Alice said, "By the way Bella, your outfit for tonight is laid out on your bed."

"How in God's name did you get it there?" I asked, and then said, "Oh yeah, you're Alice." She smiled a triumphant smile and nodded eagerly.

"Do I dare ask what it is?" I asked tentatively.

"It is HOT," Alice said.

"Well I can't say I complain to that, then," Edward said.

"You'll have to fend the others off, Ed," Rose said with a smirk. Edward's expression darkened considerably as Rose and Emmett laughed.

"I'll wear a jacket of yours or something, Edward," I said with a roll of the eyes.

"You won't need to, Edward will no doubt be attached to your hip the entire evening," Jasper said.

"Well I can't say I complain to that, then," I repeated Edward's words. He smirked to his siblings and the Hale's and wound an arm around my waist.

We finished lunch and agreed to meet Emmett and Rose at the house around seven in time for the seven thirty game. When we got home and looked at the clock that read five, we were puzzled as to what to do.

"How about a movie?" Jasper suggested. We shrugged and filed into the living room as said movie-watching commenced. Emmett and Rose walked through the door at the closing credits. Alice bounced up, looked at the clock, and then whirled her head to me.

"Is that the time!?" She screeched, "You, up to your room and change!" She commanded me. I laughed, told her to calm down, and went upstairs. Edward disappeared into his room and changed as well as Alice and Emmett. Rose and Jasper were ready and waited for us. As I slid on my shirt, I heard Alice's door slam shut, lithe, hurried footsteps down to my door, and then the door burst open.

Alice flew into my room with her pixie speed and energy, threw me into the vanity chair, and worked hurriedly on my hair.

"Good, good," She muttered as she looked at my outfit. It consisted of a pretty small, black layered skirt that flared out, a black cami with white polka dots and a button-up front, and white high heels with a black trim.

"Yeah, about the outfit," I said uneasily, "Shouldn't we rethink the heels due to my track record?"

"No, Bella," She said in that _you are so naïve _kind of voice, "Don't you know that Edward loves to catch you?" My mind blanked with this possibility. How could he possibly like having to steady me every three seconds? I voiced this question and was met with another pitying glance.

"Oh never mind –the shoes stay," Alice said impatiently.

"Aren't I overdressed for a game?" I asked. I looked at her and she, too, looked a little overdressed. She had a small bubblegum pink sundress on with black leggings and matching pink heels.

"Not at all," Alice said, "Remember, this is a big deal for our town, got it?"

"Big deal, right," I repeated.

She whirled my hair up into a cute high ponytail that worked on me with some strands hanging down the side of my face. She looked at me, touched up my make up, and ran with me downstairs.

"You know, Alice," Rose said with a smirk, "We are going to have to take away your Barbie if you continue to be perpetually late with her."

Alice clutched my arm, yanked me into her, and growled, "Never."

Jasper laughed and peeled her off of me, coaxing her with soft words to the effect of, "We won't take her away, sweetie… Now let go before we have to sever her arm." Edward took me from her as well, whirled me around, and raked my outfit with greedy eyes. I, too, looked him up and down at his classic semi-casual button-up and dark wash jeans.

"You look…" He started, "Words fail me," He finished. I laughed at his lost expression.

"Beware of the heels, though," I warned.

"I guess I will have to stay close enough to you to catch you," He sighed in mock disappointment, and then a devious grin flashed across his heavenly face and whispered, "I will be VERY close," in my ear. My gaze snapped to Alice, who was looking at me with a smug expression.

"See?" She mouthed. I looked back at Edward so as not to make him suspicious and smiled at him. He wound an arm around my hips and looked at the others.

"Are we all ready?" He asked.

"LAAAAAAAAADIEEEEEES AND GENTLEMEN; BOYS LIKE EDWARD AND GIIIIRRRRLS EVERYWHERE; MAY I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE?!" A booming voice said from upstairs. We all looked at the top of the stairs and saw nobody, but said simultaneously, "Emmett."

Emmett walked around the corner, arms spread wide, with a proud expression on. We doubled over in laughter because that wasn't the only ridiculous thing he was wearing. He had on a giant blue and white fro on and half of his face was blue and the other was white. He wore a plain white tee with the words "GO ANGELA" on them and a blue and white foam finger on his hand. He trotted down the stairs and landed in front of us (whom were reduced to fits of giggles and laughter). After we sobered up some, I gasped, "You're right, Alice. Nobody will be looking at me like I am overdressed."

We all piled into two cars and headed for the school; Edward driving me in the Volvo and Emmett, Rose, Jasper, and Alice driving in Rose's M3.

"BY the way," Edward said nonchalantly into the comfortable silence, "You are overdressed."

My eyes snapped to his calm face that was looking out at the road and alarm slowly made its way through me.

"What?" I asked, nearly shrieked.

"You are overdressed," He repeated.

"How do you mean? Alice said it was fine and dressed the same way," I began, but stopped when he chuckled.

"What?" I asked.

"You are overdressed," He said again, putting emphasis on "you".

"How?" I asked.

"You are wearing something, aren't you?" He asked.

"…obviously?" I almost asked, bewildered.

"Well, as far as I am concerned, that is waaaay overdressed," He said with an easy smile on his face. My mouth dropped open and formed a shocked "O".

"Edward Cullen!" I said in astonishment, "That was way out of line…and an immense turn on…" I added with surprise. He laughed and slid one hand from the wheel to my thigh.

"Glad to hear it," He murmured. I took a deep breath and tried to ignore the sparks that flew from the skin where he touched. I tried desperately to focus on anything but his hand; staring out of the window but saw nothing. His hand slid from the top to my inner thigh by my knee. I blinked rapidly and tried to breath. I heard him laugh softly and it reverberated through the car. I looked at him and he was looking at me with an amused expression.

"What, do you find driving me insane funny?" I asked, irked.

"Well," He said with a growing smile, "I find that humorous, but the fact that we have been sitting in the parking lot for a good five minutes and you haven't noticed is downright hilarious."

My eyes widened and I looked out the window and, sure enough, we were in the school parking lot waiting for the others to show up and I saw some students milling around waiting for the game.

My gaze slowly made its way back to Edward who was holding laughter back in and looking at me with an apologetic/pitying look. I smiled a sheepish smile and whispered, "Oops." He leaned over, put a hand under my chin, and brought my lips to his. His kiss was slow, sensual, and had the ability to drive me insane. I heard a vibrating and slid my hand in Edward's back pocket to get his phone.

"Smooth criminal, Miss Swan," Edward said with a laugh as I flipped it open and read the text from Alice.

**We are inside. Just in case you guys remember where you are when you are done groping long enough to ask.**

**-Alice**

Blush crept up on my face and I handed the phone to Edward. He read it, laughed, and typed a message as I got out of the car and waited for him on my side. He got out of his car, met me on my side, and then surprised me, ahem…AGAIN…by pushing me up against the car. He smirked as my alarmed expression met his easy one and he hitched my knee on his hip.

"What are you doing?" I breathed as I looked around at the other people in the parking lot.

"Alice said 'when you are done'," He shrugged, "So I figure, hey, it may take a really, really long time for me to be done, but I might as well try."

He kissed the corner of my mouth to my jaw line, to the base of my ear, and down my neck. He dragged his lips across my skin that left a blaze of fire and ice in its wake. On his way back up to my ear, he sucked on my pulse point.

My knees buckled.

He caught me easily and I felt him smile against the base of my ear as he murmured, "Besides, I am destroying Mike." I laughed and threw my arms around his neck.

"You know I am yours; you don't have anything to prove," I said.

"But I am having so much fun," He growled as he pressed me harder into the car. His forearm slid under the thigh over his hip and his hand rested on my hip.

"Now I know why they call them 'love handles'." I laughed as he pulled me closer. He chuckled. We heard an ear-piercing, high-pitched scream and we both turned our heads into the direction of the enraged howl.

"What the…" Edward trailed off as he followed the sound. The sound came from behind Edward and I peeked around his side as he turned around. We looked at Jessica looking heartbroken next to a devastated Lauren. They both looked rather sluttish in their black leather miniskirts, tube tops, and knee-high boots on Lauren and high heels on Jessica. Everyone was looking at them like they were mental, and then followed their vision to Edward and me in a…um…passionate embrace, and nodded like _oh, that makes sense._

I unwrapped myself from Edward, took his hand, and walked with him to the gym. He only had to steady me twice and didn't even laugh –the gentleman. Banners filled every inch of walls like clothing on people and fans were sprinkled densely on the floor. We could pick Emmett out easily in all of his fro get out and went over to him. Edward caught me once on the way up, held me for a second, kissed me, and then steadied me before we made it to them, though.

We sat down just as the announcer student –some senior named Ben– mounted the talk box and introduced the opposing team quickly. He then moved onto the home team –where everyone stood on their feet and roared at the top of their lungs (an impressive thing from Emmett especially). We cheered on Angela, the star player, for as long as she was smiling to us and her name was announced. It was impossible not to detect the obvious admiration (maybe crush) Ben had for Angela. She blushed slightly at his and the crowd's attention.

The starters took their position and the ball was served. After three assists, four spikes, and five points from Angela along with six other points from the team, the buzzer sounded for the first quarter. We all cheered as the jogged off to their coach, got water, and went back on the court.

It was Angela's turn to serve and she did it pretty dang flawlessly. I am no volleyball aficionado or pro, but Angela was really good. She penetrated the defense of the other team, anticipated their shots, wasn't a ball hog, and managed to help her team mates without being a control freak or completely stealing the show.

Half time came and went and left us in an easy lead of 24-13. I could feel the smug waves rolling off of the coach from across the court and her pride for her players. In one play of the third quarter, the opposite team served, we returned it, and they spiked it into the face of one of our players. You would think that the player would jump up and get in their face, but she just sprang up and dusted it off. We all cheered for her and Ben played an "I'm a Survivor" clip from Destiny's Child. We laughed and the game commenced.

The fourth quarter passed without much over craziness. One of our team sprained her ankle and two of the girls on the other team collided in their massive scramble to get the ball, but other than that it was a clean sweep for us. The girls all shook hands and the majority of the stands swamped the players. Every player was lifted onto someone's shoulders and carried out. The coach got a Gatorade shower in the parking lot by her rambunctious players. Alice and the rest of them made it to their car before we could, and left even before we got to our car. As we approached the car my phone buzzed and the caller ID read "Rosalie".

"Hello?" I said.

"Hey, Bella?" Alice's voice asked.

"Yeah, what's up?" I asked.

"Are you out of the parking lot?" She asked.

"No, why?" I asked.

"Oh, good," She breathed, "Can you go to the locker room and get my phone?"

I laughed and agreed. She told me her combination to her locker and her locker and added, "Oh, by the way, we forgot Emmett, so you might need to find him."

"You forgot him;" I said flatly, "Yeah, more like ditched him."

"I couldn't stand the fro," Alice admitted.

"Fine, we'll give him a ride home, but you are dealing with his puppy dog pout, got it?" She sighed and agreed, and then hung up.

"Hey, Edward," I called, "I got to go to the locker room real quick for Alice; I will meet you back here. Emmett was 'forgotten'."

"Okay, I will pull the car up to the entrance and find Emmett," He agreed with a chuckle at his siblings, "Do me a favor; don't kill yourself in those heels." I stuck my tongue out at him and headed inside. Navigating around the crowds of rowdy people proved interesting, but I made it to the girl's locker room without much destruction. I was apologizing to someone for running into them as I stepped inside the locker room. The door shut out all noise and there was an eerie difference in volume from the crazed hallway to the quiet locker room.

The locker room had a hallway and a bend to the first room where lockers lined every wall. In the middle of the room was an island of large lockers for the varsity players. Alice's locker was on the far wall and out of sight of the hallway. I walked around the island and froze when I saw someone there. It was one of the guys from art class –one of the hulking figures that caused the weird feeling in the beginning of class I realized. He was looking at me with a smirk and casually leaning against the locker.

"Hey, you know you're in the girls' locker room, right?" I asked in a stronger voice than I thought I had. It was a stupid question, no doubt, because his confident leer suggested he knew exactly where he was and almost that he knew I would be here.

"Oh, I know exactly where I am," He said, "Do you know where you are?" He quickly gripped my wrist and flung me against the locker with a loud crash. I winced and old instincts started to shut myself down. Flashbacks of Phil sneering at me through drunken eyes as his friends ganged up on me flew through my mind as well as the last memories of Phil.

"Hey Felix," a male voice called from the bathroom section beyond the locker room, "We got another."

In came the other hulking figure with his hand wrapped around the base of the back of a frightened little freshman's neck.

"What should we do with it, Demetri?" Felix asked as his hand pressed on my collarbone.

"I can think of a few things," Demetri said with a greasy grin. The freshman started to squirm under Demetri's grip and tried to free herself; but to no avail.

"Lucky you, she's a fighter," Felix said, "Possibly a hell-cat type, aye?"

"With any hope," Demetri said. I snapped back into reality long enough to realize that the freshman and I were in some serious trouble. Felix took out a handcuff, pinned one of my hands to the lock on a locker, and turned to the freshman under Demetri's grip. Her eyes widened in terror as Felix advanced on her. His hand was at the hem of her jeans when I called out, "wait."

They all seemed surprised that I had a voice (I kind of was) and turned to me. My free hand moved to the front of my blouse and ripped it open, revealing the black lace and satin of my bra.

"She isn't a woman," I said in a low voice, "She can't give you what you want."

Demetri and Felix's eyes both bugged out and they all but forgot the freshman and advanced on me. I faintly registered the freshman scrambling from the room, but was diverted when Felix's large hand covered my mouth and his lips practically devoured the skin of my neck. My knee, on its own accord, jerked into his groin and he recoiled from me. Demetri looked at his temporarily stunned partner then back to me. His face twisted into a gruesome glare and he slapped the side of my face, sending my face spinning into the locker. Demetri pressed himself up against me on the lockers his hand found the waist of my skirt.

"I love it when girls wear skirts," He said in a deadly voice, "Easy target." I remembered my heels and used one of them to scrape his shin to calf. He howled and slapped me again. He kissed me in a forceful, painful kiss that said nothing of romance, just violence and control. I tried to get away from him and twist my head, but his rough hands held my head in place. He tugged at his pants and I fought harder, but felt Felix handcuff one of my ankles to a bottom locker's bar. Panic overrode me as Felix joined Demetri in his explorations and Felix clamped a hand on my mouth as I started to scream.

"Small towns just don't seem to be your thing, Swan," Felix said, "You aren't going to leave once we've had our fun, though, are you?"

I heard an enraged howl emit from someone on the other side of the room and felt the assailants fly away from me. Emmett turned on them, fro gone and paint streaming from his face down his neck; making him look more crazed and deadly than funny by far. Edward flew to Felix and started pounding him hard.

"Where," He said around punches, "Are," snap to his face, "The," kick to his gut, "Fucking," punch to the solar plexus, "Keys?"

Felix rushed to his pockets around Edward's furious attacks and all but threw the keys to him. Emmett seemed beyond words (or reason) and threw Demetri into the locker above Felix (who was in a feeble position) and sent him sliding into Felix. The two were reduced to a groaning pile of scum with Emmett over them as two security guards stormed in and cuffed Felix and Demetri.

Edward had gotten my cuffs off in this time, shrugged off his jacket, put it around my shoulders, zipped it up, and carried me out of the room bridal style. Emmett led the way out and pushed the crowd out of the way.

An officer tried to stop Edward, but Edward glared balefully at the guard and he receded. I was in some sort of shock and just melted into Edward. Edward threw the car keys to Emmett and Emmett got in the front seat while Edward slid in the back seat with me in his arms effortlessly. He didn't bother with seatbelts and let his arms restrain me as he put one around his waist.

I faintly recall Emmett calling the others and telling them what happened, but I was trying to remain sane by drowning my senses with Edward. I stared at his chest that my head was resting on, breathed in his scent deeply, and my fingers ran through his hair. His arms were tight bands of welcomed comfort around me and his hand ran down my hair. He would occasionally kiss my hair, but we never spoke.

"Bella," Edward's voice was barely above the hum of the engine, "H-how far did they g-get…?"

His voice was livid and spoken with what seemed like every ounce of his restraint.

"They didn't rape me, Edward," I said in a whisper. Edward's arms held me closer to him and I heard his sharp intake of air. Emmett pulled swiftly into the driveway and opened our door as Edward got out and then carried me inside. Everyone was waiting anxiously and Edward seemed to deliberate whether he should go upstairs or subjugate me to the questions of the others. I gently stepped down from his arms, but stayed very close to him, and sat down next to him on a sofa.

"Are you alright!?" Alice burst out, unable to take the quiet. She continued before I could say anything, "Oh my gosh, Bella; I am so freaking sorry. Really, I am. If I had any idea that those…those…things were waiting there…I would have never…" I held up a hand to stop her.

"If I wasn't there someone else would have gotten attacked," I said quietly with a small smile, "I forgive you even though you did nothing wrong or worthy of anger."

"Who would have been attacked, dear?" Esme asked.

"A freshman," I said, "I don't know her name. I hope she is ok."

"She was smart enough to find us and security guards," Edward said quietly too.

"She did what?" Rose asked.

"When she got away she went to find Edward and me along with a few guards," Emmett explained in an uncharacteristically serious voice, "She remembered seeing me with Bella and Edward with Bella and got us to help. She said you were really brave, Bella."

"Not exactly," I said in a low voice. Edward squeezed me closer and asked softly, "Can I get her cleaned up, please?" Everyone didn't even think to hesitate and Edward picked me up again and carried me up the stairs. He surprised me by going into his room and putting me on his bed. Alice came in with a bikini for some reason as Edward went into his bathroom and turned on a bath.

"Put this on," Alice said quietly. She turned to leave, stopped, turned back to me, and flung her arms around me. She collapsed into tears. I held her quietly as she sobbed. I saw Jasper leaning on the doorframe and he came to get Alice from me as Edward stopped the water in the bathroom after a few minutes. Alice and Jasper left and Edward didn't come into the room again so I assumed that I was supposed to put on the plain black bikini on in his room.

I walked into his bathroom and looked at Edward who was in black swim trunks as well. He came forward and held me in his arms for an immeasurable amount of time. I didn't care, though; I just succumbed to his infinitely comforting embrace. He pulled back after a while and looked at me. His eyes tightened as he traced my cheeks where there were probably marks from Demetri's slaps. He pulled me towards the tub and stepped in with me. He sat down in one of the seat-like corners of the square, huge tub and pulled me onto his lap. I sat there curled on his lap with my head on his chest as he wet my hair slowly by wetting his hand and running it over my head and down my back.

He kissed my forehead periodically and pressed his cheek on my head. After a few minutes I felt him push my hair to my shoulder gently and a wash cloth run across the skin of my back. The cloth traveled across my back, my neck, arms, collar bone, to my stomach.

"Where did they hurt you, Bella?" He asked gently. They didn't exactly hurt me, I remembered. It was just severely unpleasant: severely unpleasant doesn't even begin to cover. I could feel everywhere they touched as if it were a burn.

"They just…" I tried to look for the right words, "It doesn't hurt, Edward; so don't worry if I am in pain…well, physical pain." He nodded and stared into my eyes. I lost myself in the depth of the green forests in his eyes. His hands lightly caressed the side of my face.

"Does this hurt?" He asked. I shook my head slightly. Again, I could feel the handprint on my face as if he smacked me with a branding iron, but I didn't want to alarm Edward any further and his touch was soothing to the burn. As if he read my thoughts, he leaned down and brushed his lips against my moist cheek. My eyes fluttered shut and I took him in with my senses of smell and touch.

His feather-light strokes on my cheek traveled to my neck and throat and it seemed as though he was memorizing every inch of me. My hands moved from the feeble little clasp they were in on my lap to a strong grip of his broad shoulders.

"Bella, I," He hesitated. His hands moved from my shoulders to my hips and he bit his lips at a loss for words.

"I don't know what I would have done if…if…" he started. I put a hand to his mouth and his agonized hands penetrated mine.

"'If' didn't happen," I said firmly, "Don't you dare take any of this as your fault."

His eyes cranked a few notches in agony and I almost felt physical pain from the sight. He brought a hand to my hand on his lips and pressed it against his cheek.

"Is it wrong of me to feel violated too?" He whispered with a faint smile on his lips that didn't touch his eyes, "Or that you are the one comforting me?"

"I am not doing all of the comforting," I disagreed, "Maybe the verbal comforting, but all of this is surprisingly calming." I sighed as I settled into his chest again. His arms wound around me and tightened.

"And no," I continued, "I think it is perfectly fine for you to feel that way. Alice, Rose, Emmett, and Jasper probably feel similarly."

"I suppose so," He murmured. We stayed there for a while, taking in the scent of the vanilla tub and each other (however primal that sounds). Edward scrubbed my scalp and hair gently with shampoo and conditioner and I did the same to him. After we were pretty clean and really pruny, Edward gently eased me off of his lap and set me out of the tub.

"We'll shrivel up if we stay any longer," He explained with a laugh. He took a huge, white, fluffy towel and wrapped it around the length of his arms and around his shoulders like a cape. He then engulfed me in his arms, wrapping the towel around me.

He swept me down into a kiss as he supported my back. I giggled a little at his display and was relieved to see the agony from before replaced with a dazzling smile. He picked me up while we were still wrapped in the towel and walked into the next room with me comfortably in his arms.

"How am I going to get out of this wet suit?" I asked innocently while looking at him through my lashes. He smiled and nodded to the bed. I looked at it and saw a pair of pajamas on it.

"Alice," I laughed.

"Yeah," He said, "Expect her to pamper you extensively…" He warned, "She feels really bad."

"She shouldn't," I sighed. He shrugged.

"So is it genetic to shoulder the blame?" I asked with an arched eyebrow. He smiled a sheepish smile and set me down. He took some clothes out of his dresser and disappeared into the bathroom to change. I changed quickly into the silk shorts and stretch cotton tank. I flopped on his bed slightly ungracefully. My hair fanned out over the pillow and my arms spread out so I made a "T". My eyes crept close and I inhaled the aroma from his bed.

You would think I would learn to keep my eyes open around these people, but I was reminded to do so when Edward pranced on me and crouched over me. I yelped, jumped up and my legs wrapped around his waist and my arms around his neck so I looked like a scared cat clawing a tree. His head fell into the crook of my neck in laughter and I felt the vibrations through my neck. I huffed and untangled myself from him, flopping back on the bed.

"If I had a dollar for every time you snuck up on me…" I muttered.

"If I had a dollar for every time you closed your eyes in a very prone position…" He chuckled.

"Oh, so I always have to be on guard?" I challenged.

"Gosh, I hope not," He said, "Then I wouldn't have a chance to do stuff like this." He kissed my neck to emphasize his point. My back arched into his body over me and he slipped his forearm under my back, pressing me further into him.

Too soon he slid his arm out from under me and sat at the foot of the bed; leaving me hyperventilating on my back and slightly frazzled. He chuckled slightly and we both waited for my breathing and heart beat to calm down.

"How about we get some food in you?" Edward asked softly. I sat up on the bed and nodded. He took my hand and led me down the corridor and staircase to the kitchen. Alice and Emmett were quietly munching on some cookies with downcast eyes.

"Guys," I sighed, "Really? Just chill; I'm alright."

They looked at me, nodded, and continued munching. The evening passed very quietly and slowly.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

I woke up in a cold sweat…again. The same freaking figures haunted my dreams; and every time I would swear to myself that it couldn't possibly get worse, it did. I wiped my eyes, surprised to find moisture there; had I been crying?

Every time I blinked I saw recurrences of my dream.

Blink.

_Shadows engulfed my friends._

Blink.

_The figures' cheeks split to make room for their larger, more ghastly smiles._

Blink.

_I felt my windpipe restrict as James and his lackeys, who were becoming clearer, flanked him. _

My ears strained to hear Edward's music, but either he wasn't up or simply wasn't playing because I couldn't hear a breath of music.

I fiercely contemplated going to Edward's room. The only thing that held me back was Esme and Carlisle; would they not approve? Or worse –Edward not approving. I clutched the skin above my heart at the sheer ache that flooded me at the thought of that kind of rejection.

Blink.

_I let out a soundless yell through my closed windpipe as James' liquid form slid into mine and controlled me like some sick marionette. _

THAT'S it; shame and rejection be damned! I threw the covers off of me and pressed my feet to the floor, tip toeing out of my room and to Edward's. The door wasn't ajar as it was last time.

I placed each finger on the knob with the utmost care and twisted the knob painfully slowly. I pushed the door open enough to let my head in, but no light flooded in from the pitch black hallway into the pitch black room. I heard soft music playing, but it sounded like the music player softly in the corner.

I smiled ruefully: Greensleeves.

I stepped in noiselessly and shut the door without a sound to give me away. I wasn't exactly sure why I didn't want to be seen or heard yet, but I stayed silent. I crept to where I knew the bed was, having to use memory for lack of light. My fingers felt the edge of the bed and I listened hard to hear breathing.

My ears detected a very quiet pattern of breathing. I smiled and went to the side of the bed. He was asleep and murmuring softly in his slumber.

"No," He said softly.

"No what?" I asked just as tenderly.

"No, no, no!" He said more fiercely. I started to get worried and put a hand to his cheek.

"Edward?" I whispered.

"B-Bella! Bella no!" Edward said loudly.

"Edward, wake up!" I said. My hand slid to his chest, I knelt on the bed and pushed him slightly to wake him up. I heard him gasp and sit up.

"Bella?" Edward asked, his hands feeling my face wildly.

"It's me, Edward, and I am ok," I said quietly. Edward switched on a small light in and the room flooded with its feeble rays. Edward looked at me crazily and hugged me in a tight embrace.

"Edward, it's alright," I said quietly, "I-I couldn't sleep so I, sort of, came…"

"Thank you," Edward breathed, his hands moving up and down my back as if to remind him I was real.

"I had nightmares too," I murmured.

"I'll chase them away," He said in a soothing voice. He leaned over to the light, shut it off, pulled me to his side, and lay down with me by him. He flipped the cover over us and my legs, on their own accord, got tangled in Edward's. He sighed and pulled me closer.

My eyes crept close for the second time that night, and didn't open again until dawn.

…………………………………………………………………………

The weekend passed me by in a quick whirl of healing the wounds that were split open by Thursday night's game. I was infinitely grateful for the long weekend –who knows how fast it would have passed had the weekend been a normal one!

Charlie came over the morning after the accident to check on me. He told me that he dropped by the night of, but it was really late and only Carlisle and Esme were awake. They assured Charlie I was fine and he said he would come back in the morning.

He was pretty frantic still.

"Are you sure you are okay?" Charlie asked for the millionth time.

"Yes dad," I said, my patience wearing thin 999,999 questions ago. He told us that Felix and Demetri were in Chief Harris' custody.

"Chief Harris'? " I asked, "What is he doing in California?"

"He was in town checking up on our branch and our matters or whatever, and it turned out that Demetri and Felix were wanted in Phoenix as well," Charlie said.

"How convenient for Chief Harris," Carlisle said.

"I am just glad that they are far away and in secure custody," Esme shuddered.

It was pretty quiet after Charlie's visit, and he said that he would check back periodically. He made another offer to get me to Forks, but the rest of the Cullen's, Hale's, and I vehemently disagreed.

Alice staged quiet "family nights". She had been excessively watchful and obviously still felt guilty. I tried to console her and tell her it was no matter, but she would just wave her hand dismissively and ask if I needed something else.

I sighed as I opened my eyes in Edward's arms for the fourth time that weekend. I looked at the clock and groaned. In one measly hour I would be going through hell and everything I feared –school after a scandal like that. I would get the pity-stare, be asked to reveal what happened, and worse.

"Don't think about today, love," Edward whispered, "We'll protect you…I'll protect you." I held him closer to me and sighed again. It didn't surprise me that he was awake; the monster of the day was probably staring him down, too. The beast looked somewhat tamer with Edward next to me as well as Alice.

"Today is not going to be fun," I mumbled. Edward sighed and held me tighter.

"I know," He said, "but we'll get through it." And with that we got up and got ready for the day.

We were, unfortunately, finished getting ready for school in forty short minutes. We got in the car in sat there, staring at nothing.

"We'd better get going," Alice groaned as she buckled up sulkily in the backseat.

"Yeah," Edward sighed as he put the car in reverse and backed up out of the driveway. I shut my eyes and leaned against the headrest.

"Remember, Bella," Alice said after a while, "Pack of wolves: we Cullen's will be all over anyone who messes with you."

"Then prepare to go rabid over the whole school," I laughed, "Thanks, Alice. I'm sure it will be ok: better than what I am making it out to be right now. I'm sorry for moping." I said, trying to ease their stress and worries.

"And there she is again," Alice said annoyed, "Martyr Bella."

I laughed but let it go. The car fell into silence as we pulled into the parking lot. I refused the urge to slump lower in my seat to avoid the stares –I had to be strong. I would act indifferent to Thursday's events and everybody else would let it go soon…or at least that is what I hoped. Who knows, with any luck maybe somebody would slice their hand on a letter opener and drama it up. I could be yesterday's news tomorrow. I let that happy thought light up my face as I stepped out of the car. Edward took my arm and Alice the other as we walked to our first class.

"So what do you think we are doing in Calc today?" Alice asked.

"I don't know, probably another lesson…" I trailed off as I looked around for the first time.

The scene was much like that when I tore the picture of James up in the middle of class. Everyone was frozen and looking at me as if they had just witnessed a car crash. I crooked an eyebrow at them and looked at them like _what?_

There was a stampede towards me and I yelped as Edward and Alice took hold of both of my hands and made a break for the math building. We burst through the door panting and Alice looked around wildly for a place to go as Edward braced himself up against the door. I looked out at the window in the doors and there were a bunch of people crammed up against the quivering doors.

I heard an authoritative voice ring outside and the crowd slowly lost its riot-like zest and dispersed. I knew it wasn't over, though. I looked outside again and saw an irritated, balding Dean of Discipline looking at the thinning crowd and telling them to go to class.

"Whew," Alice breathed, "That was, um, exciting."

"Is that what you call it?" I said with a laugh. Edward was still tense by the door, but looked out and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that the gossip-crazed crowd left…for now.

"You know we can't outrun them forever," I said.

"Like hell we can't," Edward muttered as he took my hand and led us to Calc. We sat in our usual seats, and I was afraid of the distance between me and my comfort zone in this class –Edward and Alice were across the room during class. The two sat on Jessica's desk before the bell, however, and until she came in herself surrounded by her grating friends.

Their eyes zeroed in on me and they rushed over. Jessica didn't really notice anyone else but me –that is until Edward greeted her sitting on her desk. Alice was in her chair and Edward was perched lazily on top of her desk looking sexier than should be legal. Jessica, the leader of this class' gossip pack, was thoroughly diverted and blocked the others from coming to me momentarily.

"Hello Edward," She breathed, a hand on her heart. Alice stood up and inched around Jessica to the next ring leader –Mike. I saw her easily get Mike boasting about something and distracted him as well. The others, wanting to talk to me but not wanting to lead the interrogation, waited impatiently for the others. Eric, one of the followers, tried to get Mike's attention back on me, but Alice skillfully manipulated the conversation to Mike's up and coming season of sports and Mike was lost in a tumult of boasting.

Edward, unfortunately, couldn't distract Jessica without taking dangerous turns like physical contact or anything close to flirtation. He tried to get her talking about something mindless until the bell rang like Alice was doing to Mike, but Jessica kept making a pass at him or closing in on his space.

I had to do something.

"So, Jessica," Edward said uneasily as she took another step closer to MY man, "How is working at the diner going for you?"

"Oh, you know, it can get lonely sometimes," Jessica purred, "but it would be so much better if you were there with me…"

"Right well, I am afraid that," Edward fished wildly for something while still managing to keep his cool.

"That he has plans with me," I said easily as I slid onto the top of my desk and Edward moved to mine. Edward smiled a victorious smile and pecked me on the lips. Jessica, snapping out of her flirtatious daze, gave her attention to me again and sneered.

"Well, if it isn't the slut who goes fishing for men in locker rooms," Jessica said icily. The room was as silent as a grave.

"What was that?" I asked darkly.

"How could you hurt poor Edward like that?" Jessica snapped.

"What drugs are you on THIS time Jessica?" I asked, "Because you are making no sense."

"I am not on drugs!" Jessica shrilled, "You are the one who thinks that Edward isn't enough and then goes stalking around dark corners with two other men!"

"You think that I invited those two to nearly rape me and that freshman?" I asked in a scarily calm voice. My insides churned like the cogs to a machine. My thoughts screamed millions of venomous retorts but I held them back, trying not to make anymore of a scene than I already had.

Jessica looked taken aback.

"B-b-but I heard that, that you…" Jessica stuttered.

"Get your facts straight, you low, conniving, hurtful wench," I spit, "How dare you hurt that poor freshman's honor like that, how dare you elevate those lowlife rapists to a higher level in an attempt to put a black mark on me? You insufferable roach! Does that answer your question of 'how could I'? I didn't!"

"I-I am sorry, I didn't know," Jessica stammered.

"No, you didn't," Alice seethed behind her. Jessica whipped around and stared at the fuming pixie as if she were an avenging angel, "Next time you get your facts wrong and try to stain Bella like that again even though she is a much better woman than you can hope to be, I will make it so that you have to squeak your gossip out of a shattered windpipe and eat your food from a straw."

Jessica nodded and sat down like a scolded puppy.

"And that goes for anyone," Alice said louder, hissing to the rest of the class, "who claims that Bella and that freshman was anything more than a victim."

Edward held me tighter and rubbed circles into the top of my hand with his thumbs while glaring at everyone.

"It's over, guys," I said quietly, more to Alice and Edward than anyone else. The bell finally rang and everyone sat in their seats. The teacher walked in with an oblivious smile on and looked at the somber class. His smile faltered, then fell altogether.

"My goodness, did someone die?" He asked. _Not yet, but Jessica nearly took up residency at the morgue. _

………………………………………………………………………………..

Being the center of attention started to get REALLY tedious as the day droned on. Math passed in a reel of whispers and the teacher trying to call the class to order every ten minutes. The bell rang and Eric came up to me timidly with a group of kids before Alice and Edward could get to me.

"So, um Bella," Eric started, "We just wanted to know exactly what happened…you know, so we could set the record straight with everyone else."

"What exactly IS the record out there?" I asked.

"Well," Mike said uncertainly from beside Eric, "I heard that you sort of told those two to meet you in the locker room and the freshman was being…well…assaulted by the two when you got there and you just…went along with it."

I stared at him, horrified and sickened by the thought. They thought I was an accomplice of Felix and Demetri…

"And what did you say?" I asked. Edward had elbowed his way through the crowd and took my arm and Alice was by his side as they glared at the shrinking Mike.

"Well," Mike said, "I said I wasn't there so didn't really know…"

He didn't fool me.

"No you didn't," An annoying voice came from the crowd from some boy I didn't know, "You said that you thought it was super sexy for her to be so bad." Mike turned white as a sheet and I muttered, "Unbelievable."

Edward lunged at Mike, but Alice and I held him back with everything we had.

"Edward, Edward stop," I said.

"He isn't worth it," Alice said bitingly.

"Is there a problem?" The teacher asked. Edward stiffened out of his predatory lunge and looked at the teacher.

"Not yet, sir," He said tightly as he took my hand and led Alice and me out of he class.

"I am not going to get through the day without shooting someone…" He muttered.

"Or clawing their eyes out," Alice offered.

"Or shattering their tracheas with my hands," Edward mused.

"Or tearing off an arm or two."

"Or chocking them with their dislodged hands."

"Or punching a hole through their gut."

"Or severing their spines."

"Or crushing their skull with the nearest hard object."

"Or…"

"Alright!" I cut in with a laugh, "I get it."

They laughed as we made our way to English and I sighed as I watched the crowd assemble to get to class. It was impossible to slap the staring faces away and impossible to rip the whispers out of the gossipers' throats, but I sure whished for a way. I am not really sure what they expected me to do.

Maybe they thought I would get on a pedestal and explain exactly what happened because they thought I thought they deserved to know.

Wrong-o.

Maybe they expected me to shrivel up in a corner and tell my heart-wrenching story to fill their status quote of scandal.

Negative.

So I just stuck with smiling politely but also in a way that said _you talkin' bout me?_ They would just snap their gazes away from me momentarily, but they had the nerve to keep whispering. Alas, that is the high school mentality.

"Bella!" Angela called across the yard. She jogged up to us as we turned and smiled to her pleasantly.

"Bella," Angela repeated when she caught up to us, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" I asked.

"Oh, forgive me, but I didn't get a chance to talk to you since Thursday and I wanted to know if you were alright," She eyed the Cullen's', "but of course, you already had friends to lean on, thankfully."

"Yes," I agreed with a smile in Edward's and Alice's direction, "but thanks for your support."

"Anytime," She said, then looked down guiltily, "I have heard some pretty nasty things, Bella. I couldn't say anything to the contrary, but I strongly told them that you were different than that."

"So I've heard," I muttered about the rumors, "but thanks for sticking up for me. I don't know why they think that the two criminals would be hand cuffed out of here just because they MET a girl in the bathroom."

"They also think that you assaulted the freshman with the other two," Angela said quietly.

"Then wouldn't I be carted away as well?" I asked.

"I didn't say they use logic," Angela said with her hands up in surrender, "I am just the messenger."

I sighed and knew she was right.

"ENOUGH!" I heard someone yell over by the tables in the courtyard near us. We all looked in the direction in confusion.

"Enough with the lies!" The girl's voice yelled. I gasped silently as I saw the freshman that was in the locker room with me stand on top of a table and glare balefully at the people around her.

"Where is Bella?!" She bellowed. I looked around and everybody pointed to me. She zeroed in on me and smiled.

"Truly I am sorry for what they say about you," She said in a softer tone, "You deserve better."

"She is nothing short of a hero," She barked sharply to everyone listening intently to her.

Oh no.

"Um, dear?" I said uneasily as I made my way towards her and thinking how to diffuse the situation, "Your name is…?"

"Hannah," She said with a smile, "And I would be in a lot worse shape had it not been for Bella here, you freaking idiots!"

"Hannah," I hissed.

"Enough modesty, Bella," Hannah said piercingly. She shut me up pretty nicely. She didn't seem like the Joan of Arc, die-hard types –but she was pulling it off now.

"Bella has too much class to stand up for herself, so I will," Hannah snarled at her enraptured, but somewhat scared crowd, "You freaking dolts –she didn't try to rape me with those other pieces of scum! She _saved_ me from them. She distracted them bravely; allowing me to run for help! And her friends as well –they helped! But no, all of you are willing to twist their reputations into an ugly version of the truth just to get the latest scoop!"

I saw a few teachers start to come out, and one teacher, Mr. Wilmore (who I recognized as the public speaking teachers) looked awed at Hannah and her speech. One of the haughty teachers was about to get Hannah off of the table, but Mr. Wilmore hissed at them for quiet.

"She hasn't spoken this passionately in my class ever, shut it!" He commanded. The other teachers looked appalled, but obliged.

"So go ahead and gossip, you lowlifes! But, for the love of God, gossip about the TRUTH for once in your sorry lives," She said bitingly as she leapt from the tables and into a sea of her cheering friends. She parted the crowd with a glance my way and waved to me with a smile. I mouthed _thank you_ and thoroughly believed she was going to be just fine in this school.

Alice, Angela, Edward and I walked into English just as the bell rang.

"Ok," Alice said, "So there is ONE freshman I like."

We laughed as we took our seats and the teacher called the class to order.

I made the mistake of thinking that the day was pretty much saved –because not twenty minutes into class two people came in and caused my life to turn upside down again.

The teacher was leading a discussion on a passage of poetry we read.

"So how did you relate this to…" She trailed off as two official-looking people came in. One was an African-American man with tight dreadlocks in a ponytail and the other was a pale-white woman with fiery red hair in a neat bun. Their black suits suggested an FBI-like organization. They both smiled with white smiles at the teacher and the class.

"Can I help you?" The teacher asked pleasantly.

"I hope so," The male winked and the female laughed.

"This is Officer Leo and I am Officer Veronica and we are with the State Against Child Abuse Agency," Veronica flashed a shiny badge. I froze as did Edward and Alice.

"Oh, is there some sort of awareness speech you have to give to the class?" The teacher asked.

"No, no," Leo said with a smile, "We are here to talk to a Miss Bella Swan."

"Is this about what happened on Thursday?" The teacher asked over the murmurs of excitement rippling through the class. Edward and Alice's eyes snapped to each others then to me in a worried glance.

"No, of course not," Veronica said, "This is about what happened in Arizona."

My head hosted an odd combination of breaking down and combusting.

"Arizona?" The teacher asked curiously, "Is everything alright?"

"Well, that is what we aim to figure out," Veronica said, "We want to understand the psychological stability of Miss Swan."

"Alright," I said sternly, shooting up from my chair. I was desperate to get these people out of the room and to stop throwing around jargon like "psychological stability" and "what happened in Arizona" and "Child Abuse Agency".

"Miss Swan?" Veronica asked.

"That's me," I said tightly, "Let's continue this somewhere more private."

Veronica and Leo looked around the room to the bunch of curious people and smiled impishly.

"Right," Leo said, "I ask that you don't say anything of our visit."

_Oh right,_ I thought sarcastically, _their loose lips are "sealed"._

I walked out of the room and looked back to Alice and Edward. They were both half-way out of their seats when Leo said sharply, "Only Miss Swan, please. We want to respect her privacy."

"They are like family to me," I said quietly to Veronica. She nodded with a knowing look on her face but closed the door behind her and Leo anyways. The two escorted me down the hall to an unknown destination. I just stared dejectedly at the floor.

The charade was ruined.

Some doors were open and people caught a glance at the two officers escorting me and looked at us curiously. Doors behind us opened and people watched us leave the math building. Some students were in the courtyard eating lunch while the officers nearly PARADED me out of the building and through the courtyard.

"Could you guys have chosen a MORE conspicuous route to wherever we are going?" I hissed to the officers. They looked at me in alarm and Veronica whispered, "Lashing out: not a good sign," to Leo, who nodded solemnly. I smacked my forehead with a hand and tried to avoid the stares of everyone.

"Hey Bella!" I heard Hannah call from across the courtyard, "They talking about Thursday to you too?"

I loved her.

"Yeah," I called back with a roll of the eyes, "Leave it to us to provide gossip." She rolled her eyes, winked, and sat down. Recognition crossed the faces of the witnesses in the courtyard and Veronica and Leo stopped for some reason. They looked at each other worriedly and back to me.

"Why are you lying to them, Bella?" Veronica asked.

"Because I don't want them to know about what happened, I would rather just get over it," I said fiercely to them. Leo looked at Veronica with a worried frown and shook his head.

"It isn't good to outrun your past, Bella," Veronica admonished. Now people were starting to look at us again. I looked around wildly for a second before glaring back at them.

"Do you WANT me to be flaunted around like the abused, lost puppy who found a home?!" I hissed, "I don't want the negative attention this place has to offer. Don't feed me that 'don't outrun your past' crap!"

"This is good," Veronica said, "Unleash all that frustration."

I thought murderous thoughts and asked them if they could just get me to where they wanted to go.

"Yes," Veronica agreed, "We should get you to the principal's office now."

"Is THAT where we are going?!" I nearly shrieked, "Couldn't we talk someplace less noticeable?"

"Certainly not, we are talking WITH the principal," Veronica said. My jaw dropped in horror as Leo led us to the office.

"But the principal will surely talk to the other colleagues, then teachers, then students," I protested.

"We made the principal swear to secrecy," Leo said confidently.

"You don't get it do you?" I asked, "Are you really that dumb?!"

"Of course not, Bella," Leo said, "We just need to make sure that your environment is suitable for you and that it will provide healthy mental growth."

"It was," I said, stressing the "was", "That is until you two barged in here and made me in the spotlight again. This has to be invasion of privacy."

Leo and Veronica shared a quick, startled glance before they looked back at me with a chastising expression that made me want to skin them.

"We are licensed to talk to abused children, Bella," Veronica said, "Just trust us."

"I will trust you when you give me reason to," I said acidly.

Leo held the door for us and Veronica led us past the front desk where Ms. Cope looked at us, snooping, and I grit my teeth. Leo knocked on a solid oak door that had "Principal Billie Miller" written on a plaque. My gut twisted a little as the woman inside ushered us in.

The door shut behind her and my senses flared.

"How did you guys find out about…my past?" I asked quietly, "Was it Charlie?"

"No, it wasn't Chief Swan," Veronica said as she picked up a clipboard and read off it. Veronica read the information on the board and said, "A Mr. and Mrs. Cullen reported you to us. They said they, and I quote, 'had a talk with our family and decided that Isabella needs to talk to professionals about her problem to insure mental stability'."

My world crumbled.

The Cullen's thought that I was mentally unstable and needed "professionals" in order to not send me to the loony bin.

The Cullen's had this discussion without me…ABOUT me…

Edward had agreed…

It was because of them, the only people I trusted, that I was outed like that in front of the entire school.

Edward had agreed…

And he and Alice had the nerve to look surprised when Veronica and Leo walked in.

Suddenly my dreams looked wrong. Instead of my friends standing their ground by my side, they turned on me with equally vicious smiles on their face and left me ally-less. I gulped down air before my vision turned fuzzy at the edges and looked at them. They were looking at me with concern.

"Are you okay, dear?" Principal Miller asked me. I nodded.

"Let's just get on with it," I said quietly. They all smiled and nodded. Principal Miller obviously just loved the fact that she was involved in something serious and "important", but had no idea how to proceed. Leo and Veronica took the reins as they sat me down in a chair opposite the desk and sat on either corner with Principal Miller in her seat looking ecstatic.

"So dear," Veronica said, "How have you been since your move here?"

"Peachy," I said.

"Care to elaborate?" Veronica asked sweetly.

"No."

"Listen you…" Leo said as he made a move at me. Veronica shot an arm out to steady him and sent a withering look his way.

"Be patient, Leo," She said with narrowed eyes.

"You aren't making things easier, Miss Swan," Leo said after a few deep breaths.

"And neither are you with the threats," I said, "You seem a little quick to the punch, no pun intended, when you don't get your way for someone from a child abuse agency. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that someone who was abused would shut down mentally and block out someone who threatened them."

"Why you," Leo said with narrowed eyes.

"Leo!" Veronica said sharply, "Perhaps you would like to go over the security measures for Miss Swan with Principal Miller outside?"

"What?" Leo asked her, then saw her pointed glare and said, "Oh, yes. Mrs. Miller, if you please."

The two left and Veronica looked at me with a pleading glance.

"I am sorry about him," Veronica said, "He just needs answers."

"Why should he?" I asked, irked.

"Because our…employer if you will…is growing impatient with him and he needs to deliver something soon," Veronica said with a glare at the door that Leo just left.

"So he's desperate. I assume you 'need answers', too," I said.

"Well, it would certainly help, but I already have a special place with our boss," Veronica said. Judging from her long legs, blue-violet eyes, and voluptuous curves, I'd say that she had an in with the boss in a MUCH different way than Leo could ever have.

"Right," I snorted; "special place" indeed.

"So I am here just for you, dear," She said warmly.

"I'm touched," I said flatly.

"Listen, I know you just want to forget this," She said, "but we just want to establish stability of your environment."

"Really? I am not sure if you know this, but you kind of just demolished any stability I could have hoped for," I said, crossing my arms and leaning back in the chair.

"You are worried about small town gossip." She stated.

"Wow, you are sharp," I said, "Just when I thought I had you and your pit bull of a partner pegged." She cleared her throat and seemed to be trying to down some irritableness. I guess I have the ability to get under people's skin. She masked it with a thin smile and asked, "Why don't you tell me some of the things that have happened since you came here."

_Well, I slowly but surely got comfortable with my surroundings, then Thursday rolled around and NEARLY shattered it. Oh, but don't worry, you and your "partner" demolished any shred of normalcy I might of obtained here._ That was what I wanted to say, but I had long since shut down from this conversation.

"Nothing major," I said nonchalantly, "Like I said –I am just peachy keen."

Veronica looked annoyed now.

"Bella, I only have your best interests at heart," She said, "But, seeing how you are shutting me out, I'll do the talking. From what I gather, you have made superficial friendships, you have a dormant, bachelor father who is not around, you have been assaulted sexually, you have had your house broken into, you have nearly died in a fire, and we have reason to believe that there are people after you and your inheritance. Is that about right?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Gee, it makes me wonder why you need me," I said, "but I guess I should be proud of my track record. Oh, but would you add 'was publically humiliated by two officials who seemed to go out of their way to out my past'?"

"You are too focused on that," Veronica snapped, "You are overlooking how very unsafe you are here. I must insist that we relocate you."

Some unseen force squeezed my windpipe shut and I gasped for air. Veronica slid off of the desk and patted me on the back worriedly.

"Do you need some water?" She asked.

"No," I choked.

"Oh, good," Veronica said, "You are ok."

"NO," I said, "I mean 'no, I am not leaving'!"

"Why on Earth not?" Veronica asked, bewildered.

That was a thought. What was keeping me from leaving? I was unsafe here: things kept happening to me and there were "experts" out for my inheritance. I had no more friends here: the Cullen's and Hale's were the reason my secret was exposed –just as I feared. I kicked myself for trusting them.

"Is it your friends?" Veronica asked tentatively, "Because you know they, well they didn't exactly keep their secret –not that I mind. I think more damage would have happened had you kept it pent up."

_Naturally, _I thought_, she is all for my secret exposed._

"If you'll excuse me," I said briskly, "I'll just…contemplate your offer…"

"Well, I would rather you…um…"

"No, I am leaving…now," I said. I could feel my insides cave in and an off feeling of hollowness came over me.

"Do you need to me escort you back to class?" She asked.

"No, I am just going to get home," I said without a lick of emotion in my voice.

"How are you going to do that?" She asked pleasantly. I hadn't thought that far. She chuckled at my lost expression and she offered to give me a ride. I told her the directions to Charlie's house –I no longer wanted to be around anything to do with the Cullen's or Hale's.

_Superficial friendships…_

After an extremely quiet ride home, she dropped me off and gave me her card. I watched her car disappear in a cloud of dust down the road. I looked at the driveway and its emptiness confirmed my theory that Charlie was still at work and not at this house or Sue's bed and breakfast.

_Dormant, bachelor father who is not around…_

Veronica's words buzzed through my hollow head as I made my way to the house in a daze. There were still construction workers inside and I heard them working inside.

_Nearly died in a fire…house broken into…_

I paused at the door numbly and decided I wanted nothing to do with any of this either. I drifted around the house and to the vines. I faintly recall noticing the rumbling in the sky as thunderous clouds gathered. I wandered aimlessly in the vines before I broke through and into a familiar, calming meadow. The first raindrops fell onto the flowers outside the cottage as I stepped up to the cozy abode.

I looked around the damp meadow as the raindrops grew in number from the safety under the awning over the front door. I opened the door and stepped inside, thankful that the cottage was recently cleaned. I shivered as I remembered James at the cottage.

_We have reason to believe that there are people after you and your inheritance…_

I waited for the fear to creep in on me of being alone in the cottage and having it broken into before, but it never came. For some reason, I felt invariably safe here. I walked through the tidy front room and into the bedroom. I hadn't seen this room after…we…had cleaned it, but it sure as hell improved. It was now comfortable and livable. The room smelled fresh and was clean.

I flopped on the quilt on the bed and wondered where most of this came from. Did Renee make this quilt? Was this wooden bed frame her mother's and my grandmother's? Mindless questions numbed the pain. I curled up in a ball on the bed and felt impossibly alone. There truly was nobody. Charlie…the workaholic. Carlisle and Esme…the people who claimed to deserve my trust but didn't. Alice and Rosalie…the self-proclaimed sisters. Jasper and Emmett…the self-proclaimed brothers. Edward…_don't go there._

So now what?

Fear of my future lurked in the shadows as I drifted off into a restless and shallow slumber.

**A/N: So, like whoa, sorry for that uber long break. Jeez. The problem was I couldn't really get this chapter down in my head. There were about a million things I wanted to put in and I wanted to make sure I got it all…and I hope I did :-). Soooo… R&R!**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Ok, so because of this chapter I am rating this M just to be safe. **

Chapter Fifteen

A weird thing happened to me, I didn't have a dream. Every time I went to sleep before I collapsed in the cottage, I dreamt –or had a nightmare depending on your point of view. Whether good or bad, I was always dragged under a tumult of dreams that reflected me because of the exhaustion of the day.

Now, however, my body sported an odd mixture of freaked-out senses and numbness. The shock seemed to both zap my nerves and send them into a frozen shock at the same time. This weird combination confused my wits and thus I did not sleep well. It was like an insane person given knock-out pills –the insanity is just under the thin surface of the sedation drugs. I knew that once my mind fully digested the enormity of my completely lost situation I would flip.

Until then, however, I just lay in an unfeeling daze curled up in a ball on the bed of the cottage; not registering the differences between consciousness and unconsciousness. I faintly recall the pitter-patter of the raindrops on the sturdy roof of the cottage and the creak of protest coming from the window as a fern outside was brushed up against it. The room itself was pretty dark –the only light was from lightning flashes and slivers of moonlight that managed to beat their way through the miniscule openings in the storm clouds.

The first shreds of awareness crept slowly into me as I lay in the ball. My eyes stung with tears that I refused to shed. So what if my situation seems hopeless…?

When they say you should make the most of every situation, do they take into account the extreme hopelessness of most situations? What was I supposed to do with this plateful of crap? I realized that curling up in a ball wasn't the best resolution to have, but I decided that I couldn't do anything with the pounding rain outside. I tried to fall back into that state of ignorant bliss, and I would have succeeded if the next moment didn't put all my senses on red alert.

"Bella!" I heard the wind call. I tensed in the ball and then rocketed to the window. Who called me and was out in this storm? Lightning whipped across the sky, leaving a tremulous wave of sound and light behind. The illumination set the horizon ablaze for a split second and I saw his unmistakable form running towards the cottage and fighting the wind.

I noticed two things at that moment: one, how very violent the storm actually was and two, how much I knew I shouldn't WANT to see him, but how relieved I was to see him. It was so wrong, because he was an obvious enemy, but seeing him set my worries at ease for those milliseconds of lightning.

"Bella!" He called again –which snapped me back into focus and reality. I stood frozen in the room by the window as I heard the door fly open and the wind angrily assault the inside of the cottage. An eerie silence swept the place as the door closed, but was quickly broken off when I heard Edward's panting and drops of water fall off his sodden clothes.

"Bella?" He called tentatively. I heard his swift movement about the cottage and remained frozen as he stepped through the threshold of the room I was in. His head snapped to my outlined frame in the window and he had the audacity to look relieved. Rage gripped me in its vice as he flipped on the switch and made a move to embrace me –

That is until he caught my positively fuming expression.

"Bella?"He asked uncertainly, not sure whether to look relieved or scared.

"Yes, Edward?" I asked.

"Oh Bella," He breathed, closing the gap between us as he held me tight in his wet arms. I stiffened and backed away.

"Oh, sorry," He said, holding out his arms and looking at his wet clothes "I am soaking wet. It's just that we have been-"

"It isn't the clothes, Edward," I said coldly. He looked back up at me and dropped his arms.

"Bella, why are you here?" He asked softly.

"I have a better question, why are YOU here?" I asked. He almost flinched but replied with, "I was looking for you –you just disappeared. We are all worried sick about y-"

"YOU, worried sick about ME?" I asked incredulously, "That's rich."

"Bella, what did I miss? What's wrong?" He asked.

"Stop pretending that you care about me, Edward," I snapped, "I already know!"

Thunder sounded in the cottage, and it wasn't just the storm.

"Know about what?" He asked.

"How you…you told my secret…you and your family and the Hale's," I said, shrinking back from him and wanting to disappear from the world. His eyes widened.

"Bella, we didn't say any-"

"Don't! I have been through enough hell today, thank you," I cut him off, "You are obviously just trying to get me 'mentally stable' by putting me through this…"

"Bella, what on Earth are you talking about?" He asked, then realization flickered across his face, "Wait, what did you talk about with those two agents?"

"Funny you should ask," I said, "They are the ones who told me that you told THEM about me."

"Bella," He said quietly, "We didn't say anything…not to anyone…"

"Then how did they know-" I trailed off from my fury as I saw the truth in his eyes. They didn't tell anyone. I blinked.

"But how did they…"I asked.

"Bella, what did you talk about exactly," He asked, putting his hands on my shoulders and pushing me down on the bed behind him into a sitting position.

"We…well…we talked about me, mostly."

"What about you?"

"Everything," I said in a small voice.

"Meaning…?" He prompted.

"EVERYTHING, OKAY?!" I exploded, "The fire, the locker room, my absent-minded parents, my house being broken into, the people after me and," I swallowed, the worst one, "and you and your family."

He was quiet for a minute, the room dark and the walls whistling from the storm outside.

"And they told you that we contacted them?" He asked.

"Yes," I said grimly.

"Bella," He said softly, "I would –WE would never do something like that…they lied, Bella." My head spun. If they lied, than I could trust the Cullen's and Hale's…and I couldn't trust the agents…

"Why would they say that, Edward?" I asked.

"I don't know, Bella," Edward said, "but I have a good idea. We have to get to Esme and Carlisle right now." The stood up to leave, but a ripping thunderbolt reminded him where we were.

"I guess it wasn't the smartest idea to come here…" I said in a small voice. He looked down at me on the bed and rolled his eyes.

"Not exactly," He said flatly. His eyes filled with the warmth of relief again and he breathed, "Oh Bella," as he swooped down and held me. I didn't lie when I said I didn't care about the clothes. I held him back fiercely as he kissed my neck, his wet hair tickling my face.

"How could you believe that so easily? That lie?" He asked into my neck. I shuddered and whispered, "It was easier to believe that I was just some charity case than you…you…"

"Loving you?" He supplied. My throat constricted –I was officially the stupidest girl on the planet. Maybe I WAS insane.

"Yes," I whispered. He knelt on the bed in front of me so he was looking up at me through his lashes and wet hair.

"Bella," He said in a low voice, "don't ever doubt for a second that I love you; you silly, oversensitive girl."

I bit my bottom lip and nodded. He sighed and rested his head in my lap. I stroked his hair and a silence crept over us. He picked his head up from my lap and looked up at me apologetically.

"I am getting you all wet," Edward said. _And not just from your wet clothes, _I added mentally.

I shrugged. He laughed, got up, and headed to the bathroom. I heard water droplets in the bathtub after some rustling. He came back shirtless with a towel in his hands as he rubbed his head vigorously. My mouth went dry. His wet jeans clung low on his hips and I could make out his distinct V shaped hips. I looked out the window so he wouldn't catch me staring despite how much I wanted to.

"I am guessing you don't have a phone?" He asked. I shook my head while looking at the landscape as it was violently lightened. He sighed and plopped on the bed next to me.

"Then I guess we are stuck here," He said. That was the farthest thing from a bad scenario that I could think of.

"I hope the others don't worry about us," I said quietly.

"I told them I was going to look for you here," He said, "So they might put it together." I nodded.

"Are you alright?" Edward asked. _I am just trying not to plaster myself on you right now…but sure, I'm peachy._ Instead of saying that, I looked at him, smiled and nodded.

"Considerably better than I was ten minutes ago," I said. He smiled a blinding smile and hugged me. I sighed in his arms. My hands rubbed his back muscles and crept lower. His arms tightened around me and he said, "Careful, Isabella," in a low voice. I smiled a mischievous smile that he couldn't see and ran my hands lower to his lower back, where they circled around his waist and traced his abs. I ducked my head from the position it was in the crook of his neck to his chest and kissed him. He stiffened and I smiled against his skin.

"Um, Bella," He stammered, "T-this isn't a very…um appropriate…"

"I am just thanking my rescuer," I said innocently as I traced up his sides lightly with my nails. I kissed his shoulder to his neck and sucked his pulse point.

"Oh, my God, Bella," He moaned. His hands clutched my head and he moved his lips to mine and caught them ferociously. He all but threw me back on the bed and was on me in the next second. I was scorching in the fire of desire as he kissed me and moved my legs around his waist. I clutched his wet jeans with my legs and squeezed as I tried to release some of the pressure coiling in my stomach, but I only succeeded in getting him to moan my name, making the coil MUCH tighter.

"Edward," I breathed, "Edward, I…oh my God…"

Our breathing accelerated as we fought to say what we couldn't with words. His tongue and mine were all over each others; we just couldn't get enough. He tugged at the hem of my blouse and I ripped it over my head. Edward proceeded to drive me insane by covering every inch of my stomach and chest with merciless kisses.

"Edward!" I moaned.

"Bella…" He answered.

"I…I need you, Edward," I gasped as his hand ran over my bra, and I could feel it through the thin fabric, "NOW," I clarified. He groaned and shook his head.

"I can't, Bella," He pleaded, almost trying to beg us from continuing. I sighed in frustration and nodded –he was right.

"Well, I can't take you THAT way," He amended. I caught his wicked gaze before he started to kiss me fiercely again.

What did he mean by that?

His hand found my stomach again and crept to my back and up to the clasp of my bra. My breathing stopped as he unclasped it and shoved the bra down my arms. I now lay there, Edward Cullen on me, both of us very shirtless and VERY frustrated.

"You're gorgeous Bella," he breathed before he traveled down my jaw, neck, collar bone, and the swell of my breast. My mind was a black cloud of sinful thoughts as he caught my breast in his mouth. The thunder outside almost drowned out my cry of his name.

Almost.

He responded by finding my other breast with his hand and fondling it –an act that drove me mad with lust. My hands clutched his head and wove themselves into his bronze locks. I was so distracted by his mouth –can you blame me?– that I didn't notice his hand creep down my waist and under my underwear. His fingers probed my most sensitive of areas as his mouth moved to the other breast. He was now arched over me, one hand on my breast, the other at the silky folds of my hot, wet core.

His name was again screamed from my lips as he slipped a finger inside me. He elicited a cry of pleasure as he pushed two more into me and started to pulse them in and out. The coil in my stomach just kept getting tighter and tighter.

"Edward! Oh, my God, Edward! Oh please," I breathed as his fingers gained speed. We were both panting; my breath coming out in short gasps as a cloud as thick as the thunderous ones outside swept my mind, and Edward's hot breath on my breasts. Through the cloud of my mind, I felt his breath traveling back up to my ear, where the god on top of me whispered:

"Cum for me, Bella," He panted into my ear, "I want to see you come undone." I answered with a cry of frustration as I captured his lips in mine. His fingers were soaked by now and I was so close to snapping. He picked up speed and his thumb found my clit, effectively making me lose control. With a yell and a mad rush of warmth between my legs, I launched up through the clouds in my mind into the closest thing to heaven I could picture. Edward was panting above me still –like the god of my little dream world– and kissing me tenderly. I wrapped my arms around his neck after I got some sanity back and whispered, "What did you DO?" He laughed and kissed me. The weird high that Edward put me on left sleepiness in its wake. I fell back on the bed with a whoosh of air, not even registering the fact that I was shirtless. Edward grabbed a quilt from somewhere and covered us both with it. He shimmied out of his wet jeans, leaving him in damp, clingy boxers.

"I love you, Isabella Swan," He whispered. I snuggled into his side, sighed, and whispered, "I love you more, Edward Cullen."

"Not possible."

"You'd be surprised."

I didn't even notice the rest of the storm as Edward held me all night.


End file.
